Daughter of the Deadman III
by Taker's Soul Girl
Summary: Continued from DoD/DoD II. Everything is normal for the moment, but when a drastic change occurs, how will Angel Calaway, her family, and her best friends cope with what it brings? Rated M to be safe.
1. Five Years Later

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, guys. Overhauling a bit on this. Thanks to Vader23A, tomwilliams1990 and Dean's Country Angel, all of whom have helped me out at various points with this story. Hope you guys like. Gonna repost the remaining chapters with no author's notes. Redoing will start in Chapter 24, but leave reviews in the meantime if you want to.**

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 **Chapter 1: Five Years Later**

 **~Angel's POV~**

 _Hi, everyone. It's Angel here. You all remember me, right? I hope so. It's been awhile. In fact, it's been about five years or so and let me tell you a lot of stuff has changed. Where do I start? I guess I can start with me. I'm still in the WWE and going strong. I've added two more Women's Title Reigns to my resume, making me a three time Women's Champion. As much as I like being Champion, I don't want to be a belt hog and prevent the other Divas from having it._

 _I've changed a lot personally too. I'm still shy and quiet, but when I don't like something, I'm not afraid to speak up and say something like I used to be. I've finally realized that what happened to me as a child is in the past and I'm not going to let it hold me down anymore. I'm also a huge part of WWE's Be A Star Campaign too. Being in WWE isn't all fun though. Ever since Hunter and Stephanie started running things for good, everything has gone haywire and crazy._

 _For one thing, Uncle has gone corporate and essentially doing the bidding of "The Authority" which is what Hunter and Stephanie call themselves now. I think the worst thing of all this is he pretty much turned on all of us. Even me. I hate it. It's also hard for me because Daddy isn't around as much. He appears once a year around Wrestlemania, does his match at the Show of Shows and then spends the rest of the time at home with Lea._

 _Speaking of Lea, she's seven years old now. I can't believe it. She's grown so much. She's even gotten over her separation anxiety that she used to have and doesn't mind being away from me for long periods of time. Mostly because I hear from her every day and I make sure I'm home for special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, and her first day of school every year. She's going into the second grade soon too. Daddy always says that she's a lot like me because she likes reading and drawing. I'm glad she's doing so well._

 _I still see Kristy on the road at shows, but she's not as happy as she used to be because she's been leaving Wyatt at home with Adam. Yes, you heard me right. Kristine finally decided to move in with Adam. The reason that she's leaving Wyatt at home a lot is so he can get used to it. He's due to start Junior Kindergarten this year so he has to be home. I can't believe how much he's grown too._

 _Speaking of Adam, he's doing great too. He still stars on the show Haven, but he's spent most of the last five years being a Dad to Wyatt and the best boyfriend he can be to Kristy. He's a lot better than Cena ever was if you ask me. He was glad Kristy was finally living with him and he promised Davey and my Dad that he would take good care of her and Wyatt._

 _Then there's Nattie, Tyson, and David. All three of them are still in the WWE and Nattie and Ty are married now. Kristy was the maid of honour at the wedding and I was a bridesmaid. The whole thing had been beautiful. David is doing alright, but I can tell that he's only still in the WWE because of me. He hates the way things are going and he wants to leave, but he doesn't want to leave me. I think it's sweet, but I feel kind of bad for him._

 _Bret and Davey have officially retired now. It wasn't long after Steph and Hunter had started running things. Davey had injured his back for the second time and the things that Bret were doing were downright dangerous, so after a year or two, they both decided that it wasn't worth their health to wrestle anymore. Owen was still in WWE though, so Bret still travels on the road to be there for his brother. Davey still travels too so that he can be there for Kristy._

 _Other than that, nothing has really happened, so with that, I'll leave you here and the story will begin..._


	2. Promises Kept

**Daughter of the Deadman**

 **Chapter 2: Promises Kept**

Angel Calaway sat up with a start. She did it just in time to see something run at her. Angel rubbed her eyes and hugged her baby sister Lea, laughing the whole time. It was Lea's first day of the second grade and Angel had promised her that she would be home so that she could do her hair and walk her to school. She had wrestled at a WWE Raw house show the night before and then gotten on a plane and come straight home. When she had arrived home, Lea was sound asleep already. Now, the little girl was wide awake, hugging her big sister. Except she wasn't so little anymore. She was seven now with shoulder length black hair and Angel's green eyes. In fact, the two looked more like Mother and Daughter then sisters.

"Hi, baby Lea. Have you been good for Daddy?" Angel asked.

"Yep. But I missed you lots." Lea said.

"I missed you too, Baby Lea." Angel said.

"Angel, I'm not a baby anymore. I'm seven..." Lea said.

"I know, sweetheart, but you're always going to be Baby Lea to me." Angel said.

"I am?" Lea asked.

"Yep. And you're always going to be Little One to Daddy." Angel said.

Lea beamed. She jumped off Angel's bed and Angel got up. They went downstairs to find her Dad cooking breakfast. Only the pictures showed exactly how much time had passed. It had been five years since Angel had been reunited with her real father and he had decided to take Lea as well. Angel was twenty-two now and she had spent roughly half of that time in what could only be described as a living nightmare. She had been adopted by Amber and Jason Clarke when she was a month old after her real Mom, Bethany Calaway had given her up. Amber was the kindest person she had ever met in her life, but Jason was the polar opposite. He was abusive not only to Angel, but to Amber as well.

There had been one incident when she was two, but Angel couldn't remember it. She had walked into the room as Jason was holding Amber to the wall, choking her out. Angel had screamed and Jason had gone after her, slapping her and telling her to shut up or it would be worse. According to everyone else, that was when it really started, but Angel couldn't remember any abuse that happened then, if there was any. For her, it had all started when she was four and it had lasted until she had found her real father in two-thousand-nine, right before her seventeenth birthday. She had suddenly gone from being hurt and beaten every day to being treated like a person. Both her and Lea were slightly spoiled. Looking back on it, Angel wondered how she had managed to survive it.

Lea sat down at the table. Angel set the table and then helped her Dad lay out breakfast. Then she sat down and helped Lea to put together a plate. She put together a plate for herself and started eating. That was one thing she hated about being on the road a lot was that it meant very little home cooked food and she did miss it sometimes. When she looked up after a minute, she noticed that Lea looked upset. However, Taker spoke up first.

"What's wrong, Lea?" Taker asked.

"I miss Wyatt." Lea said.

"You just talked to him yesterday, Little One." Taker said.

"I know, but he's my best friend and he hasn't been to visit in a while because he lives far away." Lea said.

Angel nodded. She knew that Wyatt was Lea's best friend in the whole world. Wyatt was Angel's Godson. He was the son of her best friend Kristy and her boyfriend Adam Copeland, known as Edge in the wrestling world. The two of them had lived with Taker and Lea for a long time due to Kristy's issues with her family, but about a year ago, Kristy had finally decided to take a big step and move in with him, taking Wyatt to Tampa, Florida with her. Lea had been upset about it for a while.

"Don't worry, Lea. You'll see Wyatt again soon." Angel said.

"I hope so. And...you have to leave again soon, right Angel?" Lea asked.

"Yeah. I'm leaving tonight and meeting up with the other WWE Superstars in San Antonio." Angel said.

"Do you have to go back so soon?" Lea asked.

"I'm afraid so, Baby Lea. Things are getting pretty crazy and I'm needed, but don't worry. I'm getting a break soon and so is Kristy. I'll see if I can get her to come visit for a few days anyway." Angel said.

"But I don't want you to go back! I want you to stay here!" Lea said.

"Little One, we've been through this already, kiddo." Taker said.

"I know, Daddy, but I hate it when she leaves. It always makes me sad." Lea explained to him.

"I know it does, baby Lea. And I don't like leaving you either. But unfortunately, it's the price of being in the WWE. Kristy doesn't like leaving Wyatt either. She cries more now on the road now then she ever did." Angel said.

"Poor girl. She's torn between being a Mom and being a Diva." Taker said.

"Daddy, do you miss Angel when she leaves?" Lea asked.

"Of course I do. And...I worry about her too." Taker said.

"Don't worry about me, Daddy. I'm a big girl." Angel said.

"I've seen how crazy things are getting. I do watch you know. Makes it easier for me to slide back in when I come back. Not to mention it makes Lea feel better about you being gone when she sees you on TV." Taker said.

"Yep. And I get to see Kristy too. She hasn't been doing so well..." Lea said.

"She seems to be on the losing end more often than not." Taker said.

Angel nodded. Kristy had really been struggling lately. Leaving Wyatt was never easy for her. Just then, Angel's cell phone went off. There were two text messages there. One was David telling her that she loved her. The other was from Kristy. All it said was "Call me". Angel sighed. She told Lea that she had to phone Kristy, but that Taker would help her to get dressed. She dialled Kristy's number as Lea and Taker left the kitchen.

"Kristy, I'm supposed to be home to help Lea get ready for her first day of school. Are you OK?" Angel asked.

 _"Uncle Owen just got a call from Vince. Hunter wants to face him tonight." Kristy said._

"WHAT?! OK. Hang on alright? I'll do what I have to do here and be in San Antonio as soon as I can. I swear." Angel said.

 _"Thanks, Ang. So...how are Uncle Taker and LeLe?" Kristy asked._

"Well, Daddy's restless as usual. He's always like that when he's off the road. And Lea is missing Wyatt a lot even though she talks to him every day. You'll have to bring him by when we get a break." Angel said.

 _"Yeah, he's been missing her too. You might want to inform Uncle Taker about what's happening tonight. Something tells me this has something to do with what happened to you." Kristy said._

"That was five years ago for goodness sake. I'm over it. And I can't tell Daddy. He'll show up there! He's supposed to be relaxing...ha ha." Angel said.

 _"Yeah, I know. We all have. Sorry for speculating about it. Guess we'll find out tonight. I got the pun. You and I both know that Uncle Taker doesn't relax. He's as bad as Adam." Kristy said._

"No kidding. Hey, I gotta run. Lea's hollering at me here." Angel said.

 _"Alright. Tell her I say hi. And I'll see you tonight." Kristy said._

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Promise." Angel said.

Kristy agreed and they hung up. Angel went upstairs, trying not to worry. However, her eyes must have shown something because as soon as she went into Lea's room, Taker asked her what was wrong. Angel sighed and told him it was nothing, but that didn't work. Angel should have known. That never worked with him.

"OK. OK. Owen got a call from Vince. He's facing Hunter tonight. They're thinking that it's got something to do with what happened to me five years ago. Remember what Owen said? That if Hunter hurt me, he'd face him?" Angel said.

"I remember that. But why now?" Taker asked.

"I don't know. But I made a promise to Lea that I'd walk her to school on her first day and I'm going to. Then I'm going to San Antonio. I'd hate to leave right away, Daddy...but..." Angel said.

"I know, Baby Girl, but the Harts need you. I understand and besides, you and Kristy will both be here in a few weeks so I can see the two of you." Taker said.

"OK." Angel said.

She sat Lea down and braided her hair. Lea sat still and when Angel finished, Lea turned around and hugged her. Angel was shocked when she realized Lea was crying. Angel wondered if she was upset by what she had just heard.

"Lea...it's OK." Angel said.

"But I was hoping to spend time with you when I got home from school!" Lea said.

"I know, Baby Lea, but Kristy and the others need my help." Angel said.

"Krissy always needs your help!" Lea said.

"Lea..." Taker said.

"Kristy always has to have Angel there to help her! It's not fair! Because of her, Angel has to leave!" Lea said.

"Lea, I know you're upset, but please...it's not Kristy's fault." Angel said.

"I know, but whenever Kristy calls, you go running! She's not your family, we are!" Lea snapped.

"Lea...you don't understand..." Angel said, quietly.

"Little One, I think it's time we tell you why the Harts are so important to Angel." Taker said.

Lea nodded. Angel sat down on the bed and Lea climbed up and sat beside her. Angel was sure that now that Lea was older, she would probably understand better.

"When I was growing up, I didn't live with Daddy. Mama Beth gave me up for adoption. I was basically given to people whose jobs are to find kids good homes. Only...my home wasn't so good. Amber—my adopted Mom—was a sweetheart, but my supposed Dad Jason...well, he had a lot of fun hurting me. And if it wasn't for Kristy and her family, I wouldn't be sitting here with Daddy...or you because I would be with Mama Beth in Heaven right now. So, whenever Kristy or Bret or any of the Harts ask me for help, I do it right away because they helped me so much." Angel said.

"Oh...Angel...I'm...I didn't know...I didn't mean...I'm sorry." Lea said.

"It's alright, Baby Lea. I understand. I know you miss me a lot when I'm not here. You've always been that way from the time you were little. You used to scream at the top of your lungs if I went away." Angel said.

"I did?" Lea asked.

"Yeah you did, so I understand. But I said I'd come home to be here today and I'm not going to be gone too long and when I come back, I'll bring Kristy, Adam, and David with me." Angel said.

"And Owen and Wyatt too?" Lea asked.

"Wyatt for sure. Owen, I don't know. He has his own children and a wife at home, so he's probably going to go there." Angel said.

"OK!" Lea said with a smile.

Angel beamed and Lea hugged her sister. It was then that Angel noticed she was wearing a tank top and jeans just like she usually did. Angel laughed. Lea smiled and grabbed her backpack. She ran downstairs to put on her shoes. Angel went and got dressed. Then she went downstairs. Taker laughed when he saw that the two of them looked more alike than ever given that they were dressed the same and both of them had their hair braided.

Lea walked over and gave her Dad a hug and kissed his cheek. Then Angel left the house and walked with Lea to the school just down the street. Angel waited with her until the bell rang, but Lea grabbed hold of her hand. She didn't want her to leave. Angel sighed. They had gone through this every year since Lea had started school.

"Baby Lea...we go through this every year, sweetheart..." Angel said.

"I know. I just don't want you to leave." Lea said.

"I know, Lea. But I've got to go. Besides, with the way Daddy is, I get the feeling I'll be seeing you tonight." Angel said.

"Are you sure?" Lea asked.

"I've got this feeling." Angel said.

Lea nodded. She gave Angel one last hug and then ran inside. Angel wondered how it was for Lea to be at school. She thought about it as she walked home and when she walked inside, she found Taker sitting there. He looked up worriedly, but it gave way to relief when he saw Angel there.

"Sorry. She didn't want me to leave." Angel said.

"Not surprising. She doesn't see you much." Taker said.

"I feel bad about that, Daddy. Really I do. By the way, how is school for her? Has she...had any problems?" Angel asked.

"It's alright. She has several friends already. One of them is a little girl who Lea says reminds her a lot of Kristy. She's deaf, but has the hearing aids and she's always watching Lea's back. I believe she said the girl's name was Sienna." Taker said.

"That's great. She's doing a lot better than I was. I had Jennifer back then and that was it." Angel said, rolling her eyes.

"I think the only problem she has is that a few people have made fun of her because she looks like you...and me. A few people have called her a freak, but that's all. It only happened once." Taker said.

"Really?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. She's doing fine, baby girl. Really." Taker said.

"Good." Angel said.

"Are you alright, baby girl?" Taker said.

"I'm just thinking.." Angel said.

"About what?" Taker asked.

"I'm just...wondering if being in WWE is worth it. It's taking a toll on me physically and mentally and poor David is stuck there because he doesn't want to leave me." Angel said.

"Well if you feel like retiring you can. Between you and me, you're not the only one who is thinking about leaving." Taker said.

"I'll finish up to my break and if I don't want to go back after that then I won't." Angel said.

"Sounds good to me, baby girl, but what else is bothering you? And don't lie. It's written all over your face." Taker said.

"I'm just worried about this match with Hunter. It's been years since he tried to go after the Harts. Why is he doing it now?" Angel asked.

"I don't know. My guess? He wanted them to think they were perfectly safe and wait for his moment..." Taker said.

"You mean like you do?" Angel asked.

"Hey, at least I don't have completely stupid reasons for going after people, baby girl. And lately, they've been gunning for me and not the other way around." Taker said.

"OK. OK. Fair point. And you're probably right. Hunter is smart...smarter than he would have everyone think anyway." Angel said.

"Not to mention this might have something to do with Shawn and Bret making up." Taker said.

"Well, whatever the reason I need to get my sorry butt to San Antonio and be there for Kristy." Angel said.

"I'll meet you there once Lea gets out of school." Taker said.

"Daddy...you're supposed to be...oh, never mind. There's no point in trying to talk you out of it. It won't do any good." Angel said with a sigh.

"You're right there, baby girl. And plus Vince needs to talk to me anyway. Something about me coming back earlier than normal." Taker said.

"Daddy..." Angel said.

"Let me guess. The next thing out of your mouth is going to be that Lea needs to go to school and she needs some stability...right?" Taker asked.

"I'm not even going to ask..." Angel said.

"Look, baby girl, you're right. I agree with you. But you know how it works. Vince calls and we go." Taker said.

"I know." Angel said.

"OK. You get going. Say hi to the others for me, but don't tell them I'm coming. I kind of want to surprise Kristy." Taker said.

Angel agreed. She went upstairs and repacked her suitcase, putting fresh clothes and other things in it. Then she headed downstairs and gave her Dad a hug and a kiss. He told her to keep safe and to watch out for her Uncle. Angel sighed but agreed. She still wasn't used to the idea of her Uncle turning on her. It was part of the reason why being in the WWE wasn't as fun as it used to be. Angel sent Kristy a text, letting her know that she was on her way. Then she left the house.

Three hours later, Angel pulled into the AT&T Centre in San Antonio. She didn't know why, but she felt tired. It was probably because she hadn't stopped at all on the way. She just drove, knowing that Kristy needed her there. She got past the security guards and walked to the locker room as fast as she could. When she walked into the locker room, she had just enough time to set her bag down before Kristy jumped all over her, saying thank you repeatedly and hugging her.

"Hey, hey, let the girl breathe, Kris." David said with a laugh.

"Angel, tell me you didn't drive right from Houston to here. Did you stop at all along the way?" Bret asked.

"Uh...well...no, Bret. I didn't. I came right from home to here." Angel said.

"I told you not to call her, Kristy." Bret said.

"Bret, calm down. It's not like it's that long of a drive. It's about three hours is all. You need to take a chill pill." Angel said.

"Right. Sorry, Krissy." Bret said.

"Don't apologize now, Bret." Kristy snapped.

"Are you two fighting again?" Angel asked.

"Long story short, sweetheart, Bret told Kristy not to call you because he thinks Kristy depends on you too much." David explained.

"Thanks, David." Bret said.

"And now, Bret, you should know better than to fight with Kristy." Angel said.

"I know. I know." Bret said.

"Is Lea mad at you?" Kristy asked.

"Well...she was...but I explained to her why it is that I care about you all so much. She was shocked when I told her about Jason. I don't think she understood it very well when she was younger even though she tried to." Angel said.

"It's not easy for people to understand that kind of thing unless they've been there." David said.

"I lived it and I still don't get it, but anyway...have you heard from Adam today?" Angel asked.

"He called this morning...Wyatt was upset that I wasn't there for his very first day of school...I wish I could have been..." Kristy said.

"I know, Kristy, but he'll understand." Angel said.

"I hope so. I...just feel like I'm a bad Mom. I should be home. Wyatt and Adam should come before my job..." Kristy said.

"I was telling Daddy that earlier. That I felt like I wanted to quit." Angel said.

"The thing is, neither of you would know what to do with yourselves if you quit." Bret said.

"I'd write." Kristy said.

"And I'd be an artist." Angel said at the same time.

"OK. Never mind then." Bret said.

"It would be being off the road that would be hard for us though." Kristy said.

"Especially for you." Angel said.

Just then, Kristy's phone went off. Almost immediately, Angel's went off too. Angel had a text message there from Taker. She laughed. It was still weird, getting text messages from her Dad, but at the same time it was nice. Angel read it over and put her phone back in her pocket. When she looked up, she was startled to see Kristy was in tears. Angel looked at her phone and saw a picture there of Wyatt in his new outfit with his backpack on. He was grinning from ear to ear. Angel gave Kristy a hug. David was about to ask what was wrong, but Angel handed him the phone before he could speak. It wound up being passed around the room.

"Krissy..." David said.

"He picked his Hart Foundation outfit." Kristy said.

"That just means he's proud of his family..." Angel said.

"Angel's right. That means he's proud of the fact that he's a Hart, kiddo." Bret said.

"I know, but I really wanted to be there to help him pick it out. But he knew." Kristy said.

"Of course he did." Angel asked.

Kristy beamed. She was happy and proud all at once and she was thankful for the fact that Adam had sent her the picture. Everyone else was smiling too. It was a nice start to the day. It had been busy and hectic in the WWE lately and today was probably going to be no different.


	3. A Hectic Night

**Daughter of the Deadman**

 **Chapter 3: A Hectic Night**

Angel was right. It had been one hectic day. She had been busy since she first got there that morning. She had learned that she was going to be teaming up with Kristy for the first time in a long time, but that wasn't what was bothering her as she walked back to the locker room. What bothered her was the way that Hunter had put the idea to her. As a result, she was headed back to the locker room with her eyes rolled completely back and a trail of broken glass showing the route she had taken. It must have scared everyone because they all steered clear of her. When she got back to the locker room, she walked in and slammed the door behind her. At that exact moment, the lights above them shattered.

"Angel, calm down. What happened?" David asked.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down!" Angel snapped at him.

"Ang, what happened?" Kristy asked.

"Owen, you had better kick that big nosed freak from here to hell and back again!" Angel snapped.

"I intend to...but what did he say this time?" Owen asked.

"He said that I had to carry Kristy tonight in a tag match!" Angel snapped.

"Oh, boy." Bret said.

"Wait...what the hell?" Kristy asked.

"He essentially said that Angel is better than you and Angel's going to have to do the bulk of the work in the match tonight." Davey said.

"Oh, I should have seen this coming!" Kristy snapped.

"Girls, don't let it get to you. Just go out there and prove him wrong. Lord knows you're both experts at that." Bret said.

"I honestly thought for a minute that Angel ran into her Uncle..." Owen said.

"Don't...call him that. That man is not my Uncle!" Angel snapped.

"He's too normal to be Kane." Kristy said.

Before anyone could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Everyone looked at each other. They weren't expecting anyone to be there. Angel told Kristy to answer the door. Kristy just stared at Angel for a second, sure that her friend knew exactly what was going on. Kristy sighed and opened the door. She slapped her forehead, but she was beaming from ear to ear.

Everyone else seemed shocked. Standing there in his trench coat and his hat with his ring gear on, looking ready for a fight, was Taker himself. Peeking out from behind him was Lea and she wasn't there by herself. There was another little girl there too.

Taker lead the girls into the locker room. Lea had a huge smile on her face. However, the other little girl looked a little bit afraid. Taker walked over and took hold of Angel's hands. He closed his eyes and a second later, Angel relaxed. She beamed and threw her arms around her Dad in a hug. Then she turned and looked at Kristy.

"Surprise." she said.

"You knew he was coming?" Kristy asked.

"Oh, come on. In the back of your mind, you knew he'd find out what was going on and show up." Angel said.

"True." Kristy said.

"Besides, I had to have a talk with the old man." Taker said.

"Why does Vince want you back sooner than usual, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"He wants me to bring my brother to his senses." Taker said.

"Fine. Just don't stick Lea and I in the middle of it!" Angel snapped.

"Angel...don't snap at me like that, young lady." Taker said.

"Taker, get used to it. She always snaps like that when we mention him." Bret said.

"That's because she thought Kane cared about her and he goes and turns on her like that." Kristy said.

"Stop talking about him!" Angel snapped.

Kristy sighed. It had been just a little over five years since Kane had gone corporate on them and turned his back on his niece and Angel still hadn't come close to getting over it yet. The mere mention of him caused her to get angry. Lea didn't know what to do so she did what she always did. She gave Angel a big hug and told her that it would be alright and they'd get Kane back to the way he was supposed to be. Angel smiled. Then she noticed the brown haired blue eyed little girl that was standing beside Taker looking very worried.

"Oh, Lea. Is this your friend Sienna?" Angel asked.

"Yep! She asked to come over because she wanted to meet you, but you left, so Daddy asked her Mom if she could come with us so she could meet all of you." Lea said.

"Oh." Angel said, walking over and kneeling down in front of her, "Hi, Sienna. I'm Angel. I'm Lea's big sister. You don't have to worry. Everyone in this room is very nice."

"You're the Dead Girl right?" Sienna asked.

"That's my character, yes." Angel said.

"I've seen you kick major butt. And...oh, wow. You're the Hart Princess! You're dating Edge right?" Sienna asked.

"That's right, but my real name is Kristy. It's nice to meet you, Sienna." Kristy said, kneeling down in front of the little girl.

"Is it true that you're like me?" Sienna asked.

"What do you mean?" Kristy asked.

By way of answer, Sienna reached up and popped out her hearing aids. Then she held them out for everyone to see. They were all even more surprised now. Sienna quickly put them back in, looking worried. Everyone knew why she looked so worried about having told them. She was scared that they were going to treat her differently, or worse.

"I'm like you, Sienna. See?" Kristy said as she popped her hearing aids out and put them back in again.

"Can you sign too?" Sienna asked.

"Yeah, I can." Kristy said.

"How do you wrestle if you don't wear your hearing aids in the ring?" Sienna asked.

"Well, I use my eyes and when I'm pinning someone or being pinned, I feel the referee's count by the vibration in the mat, so I know when to kick out or when I've won." Kristy said.

"Oh, I've seen Dead Girl come out after your matches sometimes..." Sienna said.

"I just come out to let Kristy know that the crowd is cheering for her. It makes her feel happy." Angel said.

"Oh...I wish I could wrestle so that people would cheer for me like they do for you guys. Everyone makes fun of me at school." Sienna said.

"It's really bad." Lea said.

"Want to know a secret, Sienna?" Kristy asked.

"What is it?" Sienna asked eagerly.

"People like us are special. We can have conversations with people that no one can understand. It's like we have our own secret code." Kristy said with a smile.

"That's neat. I never thought about it that way before. But...I don't even like going to school anymore." Sienna said, looking upset.

"It started last year after a girl at school tripped her and she fell and one of her hearing aids fell out. Now everyone knows and they tease her and bully her. Finally, I got mad and stuck up for her." Lea explained.

"Well, that's familiar." Bret said.

"It happened to me too, Sienna. I just told them to bug off and that just because I was deaf didn't mean I was different from them." Kristy said.

"But...I can't..." Sienna said.

"Sienna, want to know something? When I was in school, people picked on me." Angel said.

"No way! No one could bully you!" Sienna said.

"It's true, Sienna. Kristy and I met the same way you and Lea did. Jennifer Hickenbottom was bullying me and Kristy had seen enough." Angel said.

"Wow. But...what should I do...?" Sienna asked.

"Just keep doing what you're doing. Keep going to school. I know it's not easy. Believe me, I know." Angel said.

"I'll always have your back Sienna!" Lea said.

"And so will we. If you need our help, we'll be here for you." Kristy said.

"Of course." Angel said.

"If you need us, we're here, Sienna." Taker said.

"Lea, you let us know if you think Sienna needs our help, alright?" Angel asked.

"You would help me?" Sienna asked.

"Of course they would. Kristy and Angel are good at knowing when people need help." Lea said with a smile.

Sienna beamed and gave Lea a hug. After that, she relaxed somewhat. She even started talking to Bret and the others too and took a picture with all of them so she could show her Mom and Dad when she went home.

"I think she's a great friend for Lea." Kristy said.

"Yeah, but what about Wyatt? Isn't he going to be jealous that Lea has a new friend?" Angel asked.

"Ang, don't you see it?" Kristy asked.

"No way...you mean..." Angel said.

"Gotta be." Kristy said.

"You think she could be?" Angel asked.

"She could be, but I don't know for sure. I'd have to spend more time with her." Kristy said.

"OK. What did you two figure out that we're completely missing?" Bret asked.

"We think Sienna could be a Guardian for Lea." Angel said.

"What's a guardian?" Sienna asked, curiously.

"Well, Sisi, it's like a best friend for people like Angel, Lea and Uncle Taker. You help them when they need it and you can heal them. My son Wyatt is Lea's guardian and I think you could be too." Kristy said.

"Hang on, we need to back up and explain everything to Sienna. She looks confused." Taker said.

"I'm just wondering...what do you mean by...well, people like Lea and Angel...and Mr. Undertaker?" Sienna asked.

"Hm. Well, Sienna, have you seen the things that Daddy and I do on TV that seem...well, not like something normal people can do?" Angel said.

"Yeah. But...I thought that was all fireworks and stuff." Sienna said.

"Nope! It's real. Show her, Angel, but don't scare her too much." Lea said.

Angel looked at Taker. He nodded. Angel rolled her eyes back into her head and lifted Sienna off the floor but made sure her toes were still touching it. After a minute, she set Sienna down and relaxed. She blinked and her eyes went back to normal. Sienna didn't say anything. She just stared at Angel. She looked amazed, fascinated and scared all at once.

"Do you understand now, Sisi?" Kristy asked.

"I...don't think...I'm not Lea's guardian." Sienna said.

"Sienna, if you're scared, it's alright..." Lea said.

"Kristy was scared when she first found out too. I think she was more scared then you are, Little Sienna." Taker said.

"I don't want to be someone's guardian! I won't do it!." Sienna said.

"Sisi...I know it's hard to understand and it's scary...but unfortunately this isn't something you can make a choice about." Kristy said.

"Kristy! Don't be like that. The poor girl is terrified. Sienna, how come you don't want to be Lea's guardian? What is it about that idea that makes you worried and scared?" Angel asked gently.

"I don't know anything about being a guardian to someone! And I'm not brave like Kristy is!" Sienna said.

"Hey, it's alright. We'll help you." Angel said.

"I can't do it! I'm just Lea's friend! I'm not her guardian." Sienna said, breaking down into tears.

Angel, Taker and Lea all reacted at once, hugging Sienna. Lea lead her over to the couch and she climbed up and sat down, looking upset. It wasn't that she didn't want to be Lea's guardian, it was just the idea of it that scared her. Kristy sighed and sat down and quickly signed something to her.

 **You don't have to be Lea's Guardian, Sisi. You can be her friend. No one is going to force you to be Lea's Guardian. The only reason I became Angel's guardian was because she didn't have Uncle Taker to look after her. Kristy signed.**

 **What would I have to do...if I were to be Lea's Guardian I mean? It's not that...I don't want to, but it's scary. Sienna signed back.**

 **"Did you all catch that?" Kristy asked everyone in the room.**

"Yeah. We caught that." Taker said.

"How did you know?" Bret asked.

"It was something that Uncle Owen used to do with me when I was younger. I didn't like to talk about what was bothering me, so signing made it easier." Kristy said.

"OK. Well, we need to explain this to her somehow." Taker said.

"Sisi, you wouldn't really have to do much. It's just...you would know if Lea was in danger. And...you have powers of your own, and if Lea's in trouble, you can use them to help her." Angel explained.

"That's basically it." Kristy said.

"So I don't have to use my powers unless I need to?" Sienna asked.

"Exactly." Kristy and Angel said in stereo.

"And if you're with Lea when she's using her powers, then Lea will be stronger." Angel said.

"I don't even want to think about how strong Lea will be if you and my son are in the same room with her. If Angel is any indication..." Kristy said.

"OK. I understand now. But Kristy can you show me what Guardian powers are like?" Sienna said.

"It's not that easy, Little Sienna. Angel would have to be in trouble for Kristy's powers to work, so unless something happens in the next little while, you're not going to get to see it." Taker said.

"He's right, Sisi. Guardian powers come and go. They only come when needed." Kristy said.

"OK. So, if Lea has two Guardians, does that mean everyone with powers does?" Sienna asked.

"No, Sienna. Lea and Angel are the only ones who have two Guardians. Kristy and David are Angel's and Wyatt and you are Lea's. At least it looks that way." Taker said.

"Right. Do you want to see Wyatt?" Kristy said.

Sienna nodded. Kristy took out her Cell Phone and showed the little girl the picture of Wyatt that his father had sent her that morning of Wyatt in his Hart Foundation clothes. Sienna beamed and asked when she could meet him in person. She was thinking that she might get another friend out of all this.

"You'll meet him soon. He'll be coming to Houston with his Dad as soon as I can get some time away from this...place." Kristy said catching herself.

"OK." Sienna said.

"Speaking of that, other then what is going on with Hunter and Owen, what else is going on tonight?" Taker asked.

"I'm supposed to "carry Kristy in a Tag Team match" tonight. Hunter's words. Not mine." Angel said.

"Yeah, well, big nose has had it out for me ever since I popped Jen a good one a few years back." Kristy said.

"Other than that...not much. Ty and Nattie have a mixed tag match against Fandango and Summer Rae." Bret said.

"How is that dancing weirdo still in WWE?" Sienna asked, making everyone laugh.

"We don't know, Sisi, but he's a weirdo isn't he?" Kristy said with a giggle.

"Someone needs to tell him that when you're in the WWE you're supposed to wrestle, not dance." Lea said, making everyone laugh again.

"Uncle Taker, do you have an idea when exactly you're supposed to come back full time? We need to get...him back on our side again." Kristy said, ignoring Angel's glare.

"I don't know, Krissy. That depends on the old man, but I'm going to have a talk with him tonight. Angel Marie Calaway, don't give me that look, young lady." Taker said with a chuckle.

"Krissy and Angel have this sort of twin look when they get angry. Angel starts it and Kristy finishes it. I get confused sometimes." Lea explained to Sienna.

"Why is Angel angry?" Sienna asked, looking worried.

"Because of the way Kane has been acting. And the way he turned on her." Kristy said.

"Do you have to tell her the story?" Angel growled.

"No. I saw it on TV. You almost had the Women's Title won when he came out and attacked you. I remember that. I screamed insults at him." Sienna said with a giggle.

"It's not so much that I'm mad at him. I'm...just hurt by it. And every time I think about the fact that he's working under that big nosed arse hole, I get mad." Angel said.

"We all get mad thinking about the fact that he works for that big nosed, egotistical, big headed baboon." Kristy said.

"Big headed baboon? Owen..." Bret said.

"What? Is it my fault she picked up on my words as a kid?" Owen asked.

"You were always teaching her to do things. Dad always says that she's your child and not Davey's." Bret said.

"Hey! I resent that! Daddy was always the one who was stealing everyone's towels!" Kristy said.

"I knew it! Damn it, Davey! That explains why every time I needed a towel it would disappear." Taker said.

"OK, I admit it. It was me." Davey said.

"I figured." Taker said with a laugh.

Everyone was laughing by now. Soon it was time for the show to start. Taker decided that he was going to stick around. No one asked questions about it, but they were sure that it had something to do with Kane. They wondered if he didn't trust his brother. Thankfully, everyone was spared asking by Angel.

"Are you sure you want to stay here, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"Yes, baby girl. I'm sure. I have a feeling. Something is going to happen to you tonight." Taker said.

"Oh, Daddy. You worry too much." Angel said with a laugh.

"He's not wrong. I've had a bad feeling all day that there's a reason Hunter wants to face Uncle Owen tonight. I don't know what it is, but it's got something to do with the past." Kristy said.

"OK. Daddy, why do you have a bad feeling about me? I'm gonna be fine." Angel said.

"I just...my brother isn't finished with you yet, baby girl. I get the feeling he's going to be sticking you in the middle of this weather you want to be or not." Taker said.

"Great..." Angel said.

"Why is it every time he goes human on us it's bad?" Kristy said.

"Hey. It wasn't always bad. He was human before to a certain extent. Remember?" Bret said.

"Yeah, but this is different!" Kristy said.

"OK. I'm just going to say this. If he wants to pull me into this, he can, by all means. But if he thinks I'm going to side with him against Daddy, he's wrong and if he touches Lea in any way I'm going to kill him...if I get there before Daddy does." Angel said.

"No offence, Ang, but you won't." Kristy said.

"I won't what?" Angel asked.

"You won't get there before Uncle Taker." Kristy said.

"And even if you did, I don't think you could bring yourself to do anything to him, no matter how mad and hurt by him you are." David said.

"That's true, Little Angel. Your Dad is different." Bret said.

Angel turned around and looked at Bret. Her expression had changed from a little bit angry to completely livid. Bret didn't understand why at first, but then he thought about what he had just said. He had just called her Little Angel and as far as she was concerned, even if she was mad at him, only her Uncle was allowed to call her that. Taker sighed.

"It slipped out, Angel! I'm sorry." Bret said.

"Nice going, Uncle Bret. Good job." Kristy said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I may be angry at him and he may have hurt me, but he's the only one that's allowed to call me Little Angel!" Angel snapped.

"Sweetheart, it was an accident. Bret didn't mean it." David said.

"Yeah, Ang. You know how Uncle Bret is. He speaks before his brain thinks." Kristy said.

Angel nodded, but even so, she turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Taker looked worried now. He hated it when she took off when she was at the arenas. It wasn't that she went looking for trouble. It was that trouble always seemed to find her. Sienna opened her mouth to ask if Angel was alright, but Taker spoke first.

"There's a big part of her that is angry with Kane and hurt by Kane, but there's a part of her that won't let her forget that he's family." he explained.

"So...she's angry and hurt...but she sorta misses him too because he's her Uncle..right?" Sienna asked.

"You've got it, Little Sienna." Taker said.

"I'm going to find her. It's not safe with baboon butt running around." Kristy said.

"Check the stairwells, Little Krissy." Taker said.

"Why?" Bret asked.

"Old habits die hard, my friend." was all Taker said.

Kristy nodded. She knew what he meant. She walked out of the locker room and walked around the arena. Every time she came to a door that lead to a stairwell, she would check to see if Angel was there. When she hit the last one, she didn't even need to open the door to know that Angel was there. She could hear her best friend yelling at someone. Kristy threw the door open and ran up the stairs.

She saw Angel face to face with Kane and Triple H. Hunter was saying something about how Angel wound up in a bad way the last time the two had met in a stairwell and that she maybe should have learned that they aren't the safest places to be.

"I don't care what you think. But I notice you aren't alone. What are you going to do? Sick him on me?" Angel asked, nodding at Kane.

"YOU BASTARDS! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!" Kristy yelled, walking closer.

"Kristy...go back to the locker room and bring...your surprise back here. I know how this is going to end and it's not going to be good for me. He might be able to help." Angel said, sounding surprisingly calm.

"My surprise? Ang, what are you-? Oh! Are you sure?" Kristy asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now go! This might not end well for me, but I'm going to go down fighting. And I would prefer if you didn't see it happen." Angel said.

"You think you can take on both of us at once? You have more guts then brains, Angel." Hunter said.

"If I'm going down, I'm not going to make it easy on you!" Angel said.

"He's on his way, Ang. Apparently, I learned a trick or two while I was dealing with this bastard." Kristy said in a low voice.

"Power spike?" Angel mouthed back.

"Signal lights. It'll be here." Kristy said.

"I suggest you turn around and go back the way you came, Kristy." Kane told her.

"Don't you even so much as start with me, Kane." Kristy snapped.

It was at that moment that Hunter threw the first punch. Before Kristy knew what happened, all hell had broken loose. Angel hadn't seen it coming and she had no time to brace herself for it. It was only a matter of time before Kane joined in. All Kristy could do was watch what was happening and scream at them to stop. Then suddenly, she heard footsteps running on the stairs. The next instant, Kane and Hunter were thrown away from Angel. Kristy looked behind there and saw Taker standing there, looking livid. He walked over to Kane and picked him up by the throat and held him against the wall.

"You just made the biggest mistake of your life, Kane. And you're going to pay for it even if it takes everything I have in me!" Taker growled.

He dropped his brother to the floor. Hunter was staring at him in horror, thinking he was next, but Taker turned his attention to Angel. Luckily she had managed to curl up into a ball on the floor and put her hands up over her face to stop some of the assault. Taker picked her up and Angel buried her face in his shoulder and cried. Then he left the stairwell. Kristy followed behind him.

"Uncle Taker...I'm sorry. I froze. All I could do was stand there like an idiot and yell at them to stop." Kristy said.

"It's not your fault, Krissy. You didn't know that Kane was going to do this and neither did I. You were right to follow Angel and I was right to come here tonight. I knew that something was going on and with my brother involved. It's not good." Taker said.

"Is she OK?" Kristy asked.

"She's scared. I think she may or may not be having a flashback at the moment. That still happens sometimes." Taker said.

"Yeah, I know. So help me god Hunter and that sick dumb bell are going to pay for this! Even if it means me having to...OK, I'll hush." Kristy said.

"Krissy?" Taker asked.

"Nothing. Ang just gave me a look that told me to shut up." Kristy said.

"D-Daddy?" Angel asked.

"What is it, baby girl? Are you alright?" Taker asked.

"Flashback..." Angel whispered.

"I thought so. Are you sure you're alright?" Taker asked.

"I...don't know..." Angel whispered.

"Ang, hey. I'm so sorry. I just froze. If I'd seen it coming, I'd have stopped it." Kristy said.

"Don't worry about it..." Angel whispered.

"Baby girl, I have to get Sienna back home and figure out what to do about Lea, but I'm going to come back, OK? I promise." Taker said.

"N-no. Daddy...you're supposed to be home..." Angel said.

"Ang, normally I'd agree with you on this, but he's right. As long as that big nosed baboon's ass is running around here with a completely twisted and not to mention moronic monster at his side, we aren't safe." Kristy said.

"You really are related to your Uncle Owen, aren't you?" Taker asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, well, I'm related to you, too Uncle Taker. Don't forget that." Kristy said.

"I'm not likely to, Kristy. I'm not likely to." Taker said.

"But...Daddy..." Angel said.

"I know that I'm supposed to be home and you want Lea to go to school and everything, but you need me too. You may be twenty-two years old now, baby girl, but that doesn't mean you don't need me around." Taker said.

Angel nodded. That was true. She still needed him around even though she was in her twenties. Taker stopped outside the locker room, deciding to brace himself for what he knew was coming. He opened the door and stepped in. Sure enough, as soon as the door closed, multiple voices asked him what had happened.

"That bastard and my brother attacked her!" Taker growled.

"WHAT?!" Owen yelled.

"Yeah. So I'm going to take Sienna back home and then come back. I've got to be here to protect Angel." Taker said.

"But what about Lea?" Bret asked.

"Sienna, do you think your Mom and Dad would let Lea stay with you for a bit?" Taker asked.

"But I want to be here!" Lea said.

"L-Lea...please...listen to Daddy...it's not safe..." Angel said.

"But I wanna be here with you guys!" Lea said, bursting into tears.

"Lea...it's not safe for you, sweetheart. It's not that we don't want you to be here." Owen said.

"But...Angel needs me here!" Lea said.

"Lea, we want you here, Little One, we really do, but it's not safe with Hunter running around with your Uncle attacking people. I want you to go home so that I know you're safe." Taker said.

"I...guess I can. Just don't forget about me..." Lea said.

"Is that what you're scared of? That we're going to forget about you?" Taker said.

"Yes." Lea said.

"Hey, hold on. Before we go any farther with this...someone's missing. Where's Kristy?" Bret said.

"I could have sworn she was...oh, no." Taker said.

"What? What happened?" Owen said.

"It was when my brother and Hunter were attacking Angel. Kristy froze. All she could do was stand there and yell at them to stop..." Taker explained.

"Well, that's not like her. What the hell happened?" Bret asked.

"I don't know. She didn't tell me. I just know she was right behind us and she must have taken off." Taker said.

"Oh, no. I know what's happening. She and Angel were supposed to have a tag match tonight. She's going to go to that ring and let herself get slaughtered by whoever they were supposed to face." Davey said.

"Oh no! That's awful." Sienna said.

"Of course...she thinks she screwed up..." Taker said.

"I wish she would listen to us..." Owen said.

"Blame Davey." Bret said.

"Hey! Don't blame me! It's Diana that physically punished her when she supposedly made a mistake." Davey said.

"Guys! Enough! What are we going to do?!" Nattie said.

"We can't just let her get beaten up." Tyson said.

"It's too late..." Lea said.

Everyone noticed that she was staring at the monitor. They saw Kristy in the ring with the Bella Twins and she wasn't even trying to fight back against them. She was just letting them beat her down. Angel tried to squirm her way from Taker's arms, but he just held on tighter, telling her she was not getting near that ring after what had happened to her.

"I can't just stay here! She's getting hurt! I was supposed to be her partner tonight! Daddy, let go!" Angel snapped at him.

"No. You're in no condition to be even going near the ring let alone getting in it." Taker said.

"Well, someone has to help her!" Angel said.

"I'll go." David said.

"What?!" Owen asked surprised.

"Um, don't take this the wrong way, David, but are you feeling OK?" Bret said.

"I feel fine, but my sister is in trouble!" David said.

He left the room and ran full speed toward the ring. The fans screamed when they saw him and he started yelling at the Bellas to get the hell off of his sister. They backed off quickly. David pulled Kristy from the ring and carried her back to the locker room.

When he got back there, he found that Angel was standing up now, but still clinging to her father, obviously scared. David tried to set Kristy down, but she wouldn't let go of him. Instead, she whispered something into his ear. David nodded.

"She says she's sorry that she screwed up." David said

Angel sighed. She walked over and tapped Kristy on the shoulder. Kristy looked at her best friend and saw that tears were running down Angel's face and she was making no effort to wipe them away either.

 **You may have frozen, but you didn't screw up, Kristy. If you hadn't been there, Daddy never would have known I was in trouble. It's OK. Angel signed.**

 **No it's not. Kristy signed back.**

 **Yeah it is. It's OK because you were able to get Daddy to come and help me and all the pieces are in the right places. Granted, I'm scared at the moment, but I'll be calm soon. Angel signed.**

Kristy nodded. Sienna was watching the whole scene, feeling stunned. It was surprising to see Angel, who always seemed so strong to her, crying like that and being scared. She wondered if all that stuff that she had said to AJ five years ago when she had exploded on TV was true after all.

 **Kristy, why don't you go with my Daddy when he takes Sienna and Lea back home? Angel signed.**

 **But...Uncle Owen's match. Kristy signed.**

"Tell her that I'll be fine. She needs Taker right now." Owen said with a smile.

 **Owen says he'll be just fine and that it's my Daddy you need right now. Angel signed.**

 **But-. Kristy signed.**

 **Look, don't question him alright? Your connection with him is just as strong as the one you've got with my Daddy. Owen just...knows. You need my Daddy more then you need him right now. So just go with it. Angel signed.**

 **OK. I'll go with Uncle Taker. Kristy signed.**

"I'll be fine, Kristy. Don't you worry. I'll handle that big nosed moronic brute. But you need to be with Taker right now. You can come back when Taker drops off the girls OK?" Owen said as Angel signed.

"And as for you, Little One. We're not going to forget about you or Sienna." Taker said.

"Do you promise, Daddy?" Lea asked.

"Why would you think that we'd forget about you?" Angel asked as she continued translating for Kristy.

"Because you'll all be busy fighting." Lea said.

"Hey, don't you worry. We won't forget about the two of you. You're too important." Taker said.

"Of course we won't forget you." Angel said.

"OK. Can you come on the car ride with us, Angel?" Lea asked.

"Daddy, do you mind?" Angel asked.

"No. I don't mind." Taker said.

Lea beamed from ear to ear. She gave her Dad a hug. Sienna smiled too. She was glad that Lea seemed happy. Even more so then usual. Taker turned to Owen.

"I know that look. I'll be careful. Don't worry." Owen said to him before he could speak.

"Just make sure you are, alright? I don't want to have to bring Kristy back only to find out you were in the trainer's room and had to be sent to the hospital. At that rate, she'll never speak again. If she loses you, it will kill her. Not to mention what it will do to Angel and Lea." Taker said.

Owen nodded. David set Kristy down and she left with Taker, Lea, Sienna and Angel. Before they even went to the parking lot, they tracked down the referee that had been in the ring for Kristy's match and got her hearing aids back. However, rather than putting them back in, she shook her head and pocketed them.

"Mr. Undertaker, is Kristy going to be alright?" Sienna asked, looking worried.

"Sienna, you can just call me Taker or Mark if you want." Taker said.

"No, I can't. Mom and Dad always tell me that I have to be very polite and respectful." Sienna said.

"Oh. Well, Kristy is going to be alright soon. She's just very upset and when she gets upset, she pulls her hearing aids out and won't talk. Don't worry. It's not anything you did." Taker said.

"It's because those mean twins beat her up, Mr. Taker?" Sienna asked.

"Not exactly, Sisi." Taker said.

 **Kristy, can I tell her what's wrong? Angel signed.**

 **Sure. Kristy signed back.**

"Well, Sienna when I left earlier I went to a stairwell. I was there for a few minutes when Kane and Triple H came in and found me there. We were in the middle of a screaming match when Kristy came in. I got her to signal to my Daddy that something was wrong. Then the two of them attacked me. The reason why Kristy is so upset because she froze and couldn't use her guardian powers to help me. She thinks she made a mistake, so she went to the ring and let herself get beat up." Angel said.

"But it wasn't Kristy's fault! She got scared!" Sienna said.

"I know, but when Kristy was growing up...every time she supposedly made a mistake, her Mom, Diana, would use physical punishment to try and "fix her". So now if something happens and Kristy thinks she's made a mistake, she expects to get hit or punched or something." Angel told her as calmly as she could.

"That isn't good. Kristy is so sweet and nice. I would think that no one would want to hurt her or you Angel." Sienna said.

"I know, but it happened." Angel said.

"So...five years ago...when you blew up in the ring while you were talking to AJ Lee...was all that stuff true about the abuse and everything?" Sienna asked hesitating.

"Unfortunately, it's all true, Sisi." Angel said.

"Wow. So...now I get what Kristy told me about all that Guardian stuff. But...I don't understand how I became Lea's guardian. Was I chosen?" Sienna asked.

Before anyone could answer, they arrived at the parking lot. They got into the car and pulled out and drove away. Angel sat in the front seat passenger seat next to her Dad, trying not to show that she was hurting from the earlier attack. Kristy sat in the back with the two girls, not saying a word. Once they were on the road for a bit, Taker tried to answer Sienna's earlier question.

"Well, Sienna, you were born with your Guardian Powers there. It means that someone in your family somewhere was a Guardian and it was passed on to you, just like someone in Kristy's family was a Guardian at some point and it got passed on to her and David somehow. But everyone who has powers has a Guardian or in Angel and Lea's case, two of them." Taker said.

"I think Kristy's and David's both came from Davey's side. I love Bret and Owen a lot, but with the Hart Family history, I doubt Guardian Powers could have come from that side." Angel said.

"You're probably right." Taker said.

"So...that means either my Mom's family or my Dad's family had Guardians somewhere?" Sienna asked.

"That's right." Lea said.

"But what about you...I mean, how did you all get your powers?" Sienna asked.

"Well, I was born with mine. Daddy gave Lea hers. And as for Daddy himself...well, all I'm going to say about that is that his were given to him when he was a child." Angel said.

"You mean he used to be a child too?" Sienna asked.

"Sure he was. Where else would he come from? He didn't just pop up out of thin air, silly." Lea said, giggling.

"But...that means he was little like Lea and I. There's no way!" Sienna said.

"I know that it's hard to imagine, Sisi, but at one time, even the Undertaker was a child." Angel said with a laugh.

"Yep. Daddy has a Mom too. She's Grandma Leanna, but she died way before Angel and I were born." Lea said.

"Oh. So you two never met her then..." Sienna said.

"Well...that's not entirely true, Sienna." Taker said quietly.

"What does that mean?" Sienna asked.

"Well, see...um...OK, Daddy help me out. I don't want to scare the poor girl half to death with this piece of information." Angel said.

"Grandma Leanna and my Mom still visit us. When people like Daddy, Angel and I or our Guardians pass away, we can still come and visit. Mommy stayed with Angel most of the time when she was little. So, we still see them, just like in ghost form." Lea said.

"My Dad can do that! He can talk to the dead! It's a little creepy sometimes, but he talked to my Uncle and my Grandpa before. Daddy says I have that power too, but I'm too young to realize it." Sienna said.

"Well, we know where the Guardian thing comes from then." Taker said.

Sienna beamed. She didn't feel scared now. She was sort of hoping her powers would come in handy at some point. They drove the rest of the way to Houston, talking about everything they could think of. When they got into Houston, Sienna told Taker how to get to her house. When they pulled into the driveway, Taker told the girls he would be back soon and to wait here. Angel nodded and so did Lea. Kristy didn't say anything.

Taker got out of the car with Sienna and went up to the house. He knocked on the door and when it opened, Taker went in. He seemed to be in there for a long time and when he came out, he was smiling. He got back in the car and told them that Lea would spend the night at home and go to school the next morning. After that, she was going to stay with Sienna and her family while Taker was gone. Lea beamed. She waved goodbye to Sienna, who was now staring at them through the window.

They drove to the house and when Taker pulled into the driveway and got out of the car, he unlocked the door. Kristy went into the house and went all the way up to the attic where she had set up a shrine to Angel's mother Beth so long ago. All three of the girls tended to go up there if they were upset, saying they felt closer to Beth up there.

Angel decided to leave Kristy to Taker since she would talk to him when she would talk to no one else. She took Lea upstairs and ran her a bath. She didn't need to sit there with Lea anymore so she went and got her some clean clothes and packed her a suitcase for her stay with Sienna. She wondered if Kristy was doing alright.

Up in the attic, Kristy was sitting there crying her eyes out. Taker just sat there, hugging her. Kristy knew that it was no good telling him that she wanted to be left alone. He didn't like leaving her when she was an emotional wreck like this. He just let her cry, knowing full well that when she was ready to talk, she'd say something.

"Uncle Taker...I don't know what happened...I just froze. I couldn't help..." Kristy said.

"Kristy, it's alright. It's not your fault. I told you before, you didn't see it coming." Taker said.

"But...that's never happened to me before. I've never frozen like that. Every time Angel's been in trouble before now I've always been able to help..." Kristy sobbed.

"I know, Little Krissy, but this was different. Kane was involved. Your Guardian powers didn't think he was a threat. They didn't sense the threat coming from him, so they didn't kick in. If it had just been Hunter by himself it would have been different, but since my brother was there too, your powers didn't pick up on it. It would have been different if he had been under someone's control, but he knew exactly what he was doing at the time." Taker said.

"Oh...I think I understand...but it doesn't make me feel any better." Kristy said, still sobbing.

"I know." Taker said.

"It's just...I don't know what to make of it happening." Kristy said.

"I know, Kristy. But please, believe me when I say this: you didn't screw up anything. If you hadn't signalled me to get to that stairwell...well..." Taker said.

"I don't even want to think about it. I've never understood why, but for some reason if anything ever happened to Angel...and for some reason she disappeared...it'd kill me." Kristy said.

"I know, Little Krissy. I'd feel the same way." Taker said.

"But it's because you're her father. Of course you'd feel that way, but why me?" Kristy asked.

"Well, I'm going to take a guess and say it was because Angel was one of the few people outside of the family who didn't care that you're deaf. She didn't care that you're a Hart either." Taker said.

 _"And she's like your sister." Beth's voice said._

"Hi, Aunt Beth. What are you doing here?" Kristy said.

 _"I'm needed." was Beth's answer._

"Oh..." Kristy said.

 _"Kristy, you didn't screw up, sweetheart. Guardian Powers are different. They come out as needed. You know that. And your powers haven't adapted to the fact that Kane is in fact a threat to Angel. That's why they didn't work." Beth said._

"But...Hunter was a threat! How come I couldn't at least get him away from her?!" Kristy asked.

 _"Because...well...Kane was there with you guys, so your powers didn't pick up on Hunter being a threat." Beth said._

"So...my powers can change and adapt?" Kristy said.

 _"Yeah, they can. And apparently they haven't picked up on the fact that Kane is a threat to her yet." Beth said._

"It's because he's not under anyone's influence. He knows full well what he's doing." Taker said, a slight growl coming into his voice as he spoke.

"Does...this mean that if Kane does anything else to her, I'm not going to be able to help?" Kristy asked, tears forming in her eyes again.

 _"I'm afraid not Kristy. Until your powers pick up on the fact that Kane is indeed a threat, there isn't anything you can do." Beth said._

Kristy started to cry even more at that. Taker just hugged her. Bethany sighed. She almost wished she hadn't said anything. She felt bad for Kristy. Just then, Lea came running up the stairs with Angel following behind. Beth looked worried as she stared at her oldest daughter.

"I'm fine, Mom." Angel said.

 _"As long as you're not hurt too badly..." Beth said._

"Mommy, what's wrong with Kristy?" Lea asked.

 _"Well, earlier when Kane and Triple H attacked your sister, Kristy couldn't help and now she's very upset and thinks she made a mistake." Beth said._

"But Kristy didn't mess up." Lea said.

"Hell no. She saved my butt...yet again." Angel said.

 _"But she doesn't see it like that." Beth said._

"I know. But if she hadn't been there, Daddy wouldn't have been able to come and help, so even though she couldn't use her powers to help me directly, I'm glad she had the insight to come after me." Angel said.

"That's true, baby girl." Taker said.

"You're not mad, Ang?" Kristy asked her quietly.

"Of course not! My thought was that you were going through what I was and you were thinking back to when I was younger is all. I'm not mad." Angel said.

"OK." Kristy said.

 _"Angel Baby, are you sure you're alright?" Beth said._

"Mom, I'm fine. Don't worry." Angel said.

 _"I see bruises forming, so don't give me the "I'm fine" thing, young lady." Beth said._

"Alright, fine. I'm a little sore and a bit jumpy, but I'm fine I promise." Angel said.

 _"Well, as long as nothing is broken." Beth said._

"Don't worry Mommy. Angel is OK." Lea said.

"Alright, Lea. It's way past your bedtime, sweetheart. So say goodnight to Kristy, Daddy and Mommy." Angel said.

Lea nodded. She said goodnight to everyone and gave them all a hug and a kiss. Then she asked if she could call down to Tampa and talk to Wyatt, but Kristy shook her head, saying that Wyatt was probably asleep by now. Lea nodded. Then Taker took her downstairs and put her in bed. Kristy and Angel left the attic after saying goodbye to Beth. As they got downstairs, they heard the phone ringing. Angel put it on speaker before she answered.

"Hi?" she asked.

 _"I'm a bit dinged up, but otherwise fine. Hunter on the other hand..." Owen's voice said._

"How dinged up is dinged up, Uncle Owen?" Kristy asked.

"And what exactly did you do to Hunter?" Angel asked.

 _"I've got a few bumps and bruises and I'm sore, but I'm fine otherwise before you panic, Kristy." Owen said._

"OK. So what did you do to Hunter?" Kristy asked.

 _"He's in for a bit of a hospital stay." Owen answered._

"Kristy did he just laugh?" Angel asked.

"He laughed. So Uncle Owen what exactly did you do to make Hunter have to have a hospital stay?" Kristy said.

 _"Let's just say that Hunter should choose his weapons more carefully when trying to use them on me." Owen said, laughing._

"Did you put oil on the sledgehammer handle again?" Angel and Kristy asked with a laugh.

 _"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But I will say that I did use it on him...to great effectiveness too. He wasn't liking it. I probably would have done a lot more, but someone came out and interfered." Owen said._

"Is Kane at it again?" Kristy asked, ignoring the growl that came from Angel.

 _"I heard that, Angel. And yes he is, which is why I'm dinged up." Owen said._

"Uncle Taker! He hurt Uncle Owen!" Kristy called up the stairs.

Just as she said it, Taker came down the stairs. He didn't look happy at all now. It wasn't surprising. Angel was sure the thing that was making him so angry wasn't so much that his brother was going around attacking people, it was that he knew perfectly well what he was doing.

"Damn him." Taker said.

 _"I'm fine, really. Dinged up a bit, but otherwise alright." Owen said._

"Are you sure you're alright, Owen? Kristy looks like she's ready to have a panic attack over here and is obviously scared something is wrong." Taker said.

 _"I'm fine other than being dinged up. Hunter's the one in the hospital, not me. And Kristy, you calm down over there. You've had enough problems tonight, sweetheart." Owen said._

"OK." Kristy said.

 _"Alright. I'll see you all tomorrow. Angel, you try and get some sleep." Owen said._

"Why wouldn't I be able to sleep?" Angel asked.

 _"After what happened tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if you have a nightmare or two in store." Owen said._

Angel didn't answer. He was right of course. Even though she had dealt with her past pretty well over the last five years, what happened tonight was probably going to trigger something other than just the flashback. Taker laughed.

"She's giving me this look that clearly says "I hate it when he's right" at the moment." Taker told Owen.

 _"And Kristy, if you have a panic attack tonight just remember what I told you, alright?" Owen said._

"OK, Uncle Owen. I love you." Kristy said.

 _"I love you too, kiddo. Taker, you look after those two or you're going to get a butt kicking tomorrow." Owen said._

"I know." Taker said with a laugh.

They hung up after that and everyone headed off to bed. It had been a really busy day and an even more hectic night and everyone had felt as though they had run a marathon race. However, they all knew that it was probably going to get even more hectic and crazy from here on out.


	4. The Turning Point

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 4: The Turning Point**

Taker started out of a dead sleep. He had heard a noise. A second later, he realized that someone was walking around in the hallway. He sighed and got up. When he opened his bedroom door, he saw Angel walking down the hallway, mumbling something about needing help because she had gotten hurt. Taker walked over and carefully put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. Angel jumped and turned around. She started to cry as she hugged her father. Taker walked her to his room and sat her down on the bed. Then he sat down and hugged her again.

"Baby girl...it's alright. Just take a deep breath." Taker said.

"D-Daddy...how could he? How could he go from loving me so much to hating me with a passion and siding with that big nosed asshole and attacking me? I mean...I...would understand if he didn't know what he was doing...but..." Angel sobbed.

"But he does and that hurts. I know." Taker said.

Angel nodded, but she didn't say anything. Taker sighed. He couldn't believe that this would happen. That his own brother would turn on his own family and all for the sake of money. He was going to find a way to get Kane back on their side even if it took everything he had left in him. He stared down at Angel.

"Hey, baby girl. Don't worry. I'll get him back somehow. I promise." Taker said.

"OK." Angel said.

"Now, let's get you back to bed. You need to rest." Taker said.

Angel nodded. Taker walked with her back to her room and made sure she was safely back in bed. He sat there while she fell asleep. It was about an hour later when Angel woke up yet again. She had no idea why, but she had all of a sudden felt like something wasn't right. A second later, Taker opened the door a second later. Lea also came running in. She had probably felt it too.

"What was that?" Angel asked.

"I felt it too." Lea said.

"Me too." Taker said.

"Which means...he probably did too." Angel said.

"Probably." Taker said.

"But what was it?" Lea asked.

As if to answer her question, a small ball of light came into the room and transformed not into Bethany this time, but instead it was Paul Bearer. Everyone was stunned. They had no idea what was going on.

"Paul?" Taker asked.

"Bearer! What do you want?" Angel asked, standing up and stepping in front of Lea.

 _"Calm down, Dead Girl." Paul answered._

"How come you're a ghost?" Lea asked.

 _"Well...it all started...or rather ended for me in a dark alley..." Paul said._

"Ended? You mean...like Dead?" Angel asked, quietly looking confused.

 _"Unfortunately for me, yes. Apparently a fifty plus year old overweight man was a prime target for a seventeen year old drug addict." Paul said._

"And you call yourself the master of the urn?" Angel asked.

Taker looked at Angel with a disapproving look. Lea laughed and started teasing Angel about having got in trouble. That was until Taker gave her the exact same glare. Lea went quiet.

"Sorry, Daddy." they said at the same time.

"So...what are we supposed to do now?" Angel asked.

 _"What do you mean?" Paul asked._

"Well, you may have been the only one to help me get Kane back." Taker said.

 _"If you all are lucky, this will make him smarten up and realize that you three are all he's got left now. As for me...I'll be watching, Deadman. You look after my son and keep Dead Girl and the Little Dead Girl safe. Got that?" Paul said._

"I got it, Paul. Don't worry, you can Rest In Peace now." Taker said.

He nodded. Then he disappeared. Meanwhile, in a hotel room a few miles away, Kane was wide awake himself. He had also felt Paul's presence suddenly disappear. It wasn't the fact that Paul's presence had disappeared that bothered him or woken him up. It was that this was somehow different. Almost as if Paul wasn't going to come back this time. As if knowing that Kane was trying to figure out what was happening, he heard his father's voice in his head.

 _"I'm sorry, son. All you have left now is your brother and nieces, Kane." it said._

Kane's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe it. There was no way that his father—Paul Bearer, The Master of the Urn, The Father of Destruction—could be dead. He punched the nearby wall out of anger, but as he did so, he realized that Paul was right. Angel, Lea, and Big Brother Mark were all he had left now...and he had turned on them and treated Angel specifically like dirt under his feet. _And for what? More money, a fancy suit, and a corner office!_ He thought bitterly.

He had to find a way to fix this and do it quickly before things escalated more and Angel and his brother wound up hurt at his hands. As he sat there thinking things over, he realized that there was only one way to get out of this mess. It wasn't going to be pretty at all and it would probably have disastrous consequences, but it had to be done. He reached into the drawer next to the bed and pulled out his old mask. He just stared at it. He knew what he had to do.

The next night, Angel was in the ring, having a pretty good match with Eva Marie despite the fact that Angel had to pretty much carry her because she was still just as horrible as she had been five years ago. She was more worried about her looks then her wrestling ability. Angel had just landed a dropkick when suddenly, there was the familiar sound of exploding flames and the lights turned orange. Both Eva and Angel looked up at the ramp and saw Hunter and Kane making their way to the ring.

Eva did exactly what Angel expected her to. She took off running through the crowd to get away from the two of them. Angel sighed. She knew what was about to happen. The two suited men make their way toward the ring, stopping half way. Hunter pointed to the ring and said quite audibly "Get her!". Kane took a step forward before pausing for a second. Instead of heading to the ring, he turned to Hunter, unbuttoning his shirt as he did so. The look on Hunter's face told the story of horror. Kane continued removing his shirt, dropping it to the floor. He reached into the back pocket of his pants and pulled out his mask. He stared at it for a moment before putting it on.

That was when Hunter realized that it was over and Kane was no longer on his side. He decided to try and mount an offence and attack The Big Red Machine, but this turned out to be a mistake as Kane put Hunter down with no more than two punches. Turning back toward the ring, containing an incredibly perplexed Angel, he continued to walk to the ring. He walked up the steps and climbed into the ring. He just stood there, staring at her.

Angel raised her fists, obviously anticipating a fight, however Kane took a step back and knelt down on one knee, raising his right hand toward the sky in the typical Undertaker pose. Angel looked on, confused for a moment. It didn't get any better either, as her father's music hit. Taker came out and walked slowly to the ring. He stepped inside and stood next to Angel, staring at his younger brother. Angel and Taker briefly made eye contact with each other, as if something unspoken had just passed between them. Then Taker reached out his hand to his younger brother. Kane took Taker's hand and Taker helped him to his feet. Taker nodded at his brother and Kane raised his arms and threw them back down, making an explosion come from all four of the ring posts.

The three of them left the ring, walking up the ramp. As they walked passed Hunter, all three of them stared down at him, looking disgusted. _If I wasn't such a nice person, I'd totally spit on him right now._ Angel thought. Once they got backstage, Taker and Angel stopped and turned to face Kane.

"So what brought that on?" Taker asked.

"Paul came to me. He told me that you, Angel, and Lea are all I've got left. And no amount of money in the world would make the loss of my family go away." Kane said.

"Well...he's right...but..." Angel said.

"Look, Little Angel, the bottom line is, people only ever get one family in life. And I've already lost enough of mine. I don't want to lose any more." Kane said.

"And how am I supposed to trust you after you've put me through my own personal hell for the last five years?!" Angel asked.

"Little Angel...I screwed up. I know I did. And I also know that you have trust issues and that gaining your trust back is going to be a lot of work, but I'd like the chance to try." Kane said.

Angel looked from her Uncle to her Father and back again. She wasn't entirely sure what she should do. She really wanted to give her Uncle another chance, but something was stopping her and she had no idea what it was.

"Angel?" Taker asked out loud.

"I...don't know...if I can..." Angel admitted.

"What is it that's holding you back, Baby Girl?" Taker asked.

"I'm not sure. I just know that my heart is screaming "Trust him! It's OK." and my head is screaming "Stop and think about this." I don't know what to listen to." Angel said, looking upset.

"Baby girl, take my advice, sweetheart. Listen to your heart. Sometimes your head holds you back from what your heart wants to do." Taker said.

Angel looked from Taker to Kane and back again. She burst into tears and then ran to Kane, hugging him. Kane was stunned for a minute, but he hugged her back. Taker just smiled. They headed back to the locker room. Everything was alright, until Kane came in. Kristy stood up, glaring at him.

"What in the hell is he doing here?" she snapped.

"Kristy, just calm down. You saw what happened out there. I forgave him alright?" Angel said.

"You what?!" Kristy asked.

"I forgave him." Angel said.

"Are you stupid?!" Kristy asked.

"I said I forgave him. It doesn't mean I trust him." Angel said.

"Well, I'm not forgiving him or trusting him!" Kristy said.

"That's fine. He's my Uncle, not yours." Angel said.

"OK, girls. Enough." Taker said.

"Sorry, Uncle Taker." Kristy said.

"Sorry, Daddy." Angel said.

"Kristy, please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not asking you for trust and forgiveness." Kane said.

"Watch it, Little Brother. Kristy may not be related to you by blood, but she still considers you family." Taker said.

"I know. I know." Kane said.

"Yeah, well, even though I consider him family, I don't want him anywhere near me." Kristy snapped.

Kane nodded. He knew that Kristy would eventually get over what he had done. All he cared about now was that he had Angel and his brother back on his side. They all headed back to the hotel room after that. Angel called Lea at Sienna's to see how she was doing. She had been there all day and Angel hoped she was alright.

 _"Angel!" Lea said when she got on the phone._

"Hi, baby Lea. Are you doing OK?" Angel said.

 _"I'm OK. Is Uncle really back with us now?" Lea asked._

"Yep. He is. He's here now." Angel said.

 _"Oh. OK! I wish I was there with you guys. I miss you. I...want to be there, not here." Lea said, sounding upset._

"I know, Lea. But it's safer for you there. Daddy, Uncle and I wish you were with us too, but we wouldn't know what to do if you got hurt, Baby Lea." Angel said.

 _"I know." Lea said._

"Don't worry. We'll be back soon." Angel said.

 _"When is Wyatt coming to visit?" Lea asked._

"I don't know, sweetheart." Angel said.

 _"Well, ask Kristy!" Lea said._

"I can't, sweetheart. She's staying with Davey and the family instead of us." Angel said.

 _"What do you mean she's staying with them instead of you? I'm confused." Lea said._

"She's mad at me for forgiving Uncle and doesn't want Uncle anywhere near her, so she's with Davey and the others." Angel said.

 _"Well, that doesn't make sense. She's never been mad at Uncle before!" Lea said._

"Well, she is now, sweetheart." Angel said.

 _"Can't you go ask her for me?" Lea asked._

"Why don't you call her and ask yourself, Baby Lea?" Angel asked.

 _"Because! She's next door, Angel! Come on, please?" Lea asked._

"OK, Baby Lea. You stay on the line and talk to Daddy and Uncle and I'll go ask Kristy, OK?" Angel said.

 _"OK, Angel! Thank you!" Lea said._

Angel laughed and handed the phone to Taker. Then she left the room and went next door. She knocked on the door and David answered. He let Angel in, smiling as he did so. Kristy just glared at her. Angel guessed that she was still angry at her.

"When you're done glaring knives through my head, I need to ask you something." Angel said, trying to stay calm.

"I'm not glaring knives through your head. I'm just not happy right now." Kristy said.

"Well, when you're done, Lea wants to know when Wyatt is coming to Houston to visit." Angel said.

"Oh. Next week sometime. Adam is coming here to promote Haven and after that it's break time." Kristy said.

"Now, that that's out of the way, you can get over what I did tonight. Uncle did what Uncle did, but regardless he's still my family. He told me tonight that he's already lost enough of his family and he didn't want to lose any more. I feel the same. I've lost enough." Angel told her.

"Hm...well, when you put it that way...he's got a point. OK, I'll forgive him, but just this once." Kristy said.

Angel beamed. She gave her friend a hug and turned to leave the room. Before she could, David grabbed her arm and asked her if he could talk to her in the hallway for a minute. Angel agreed and they left the room.

"Are you OK?" Angel asked.

"Sweetheart...I don't want to be here anymore. The only reason I've stayed this long is because you're here. As much as I love you, I just can't stand it anymore. Ty and I aren't talking and with my Dad retired...it's not the same." David said.

"David...I..." Angel said with tears in her eyes.

"Sweetheart, it's not you that I'm moving on from. I still want to be with you. It's just time for me to move on from the WWE." David said.

"Oh...that's OK. Just...please don't forget me. Promise?" Angel said.

"Of course I won't." David said, putting his arms around Angel.

Angel just hugged him back, crying her eyes out. She didn't want David to leave, but there was a part of her that knew that he felt like he was stuck there because he wanted to be with her. They hugged for a while longer until Angel calmed down. Angel said goodbye to him and turned and went back to her room. As soon as she walked in, she burst into tears again. She ran to the bedroom and threw herself down on the bed, crying. Taker and Kane looked at each other. Kane walked into the room and sat down on the side of the bed. He touched Angel's shoulder.

"Go away." Angel said.

"Hi to you too, Little Angel." Kane said.

"He's leaving, Uncle. David is leaving WWE." Angel told him, sitting up.

"What?!" Kane said.

"He's not leaving me, he's just leaving the company..." Angel said.

"I know, but still..." Kane said.

"David wants to leave because it's not the same anymore. And as much as I don't want him to, I want him to be happy." Angel said.

"But it's hurting you." Kane said.

"I'll survive." Angel said.

"Right. That's why you're distraught and in tears right now. Come on, Little Angel, I may have been gone for a while, but you still can't fool me." Kane said.

"I'll be fine. It's not like Kristy left." Angel said.

Kane sighed. He made Angel sit up and then hugged her and just let her cry. It was awhile before Angel calmed down enough to talk. She told Kane that she had to let Lea know that Wyatt would be coming to visit in the next week. Kane told her that he would let Taker know and Taker could tell her. Angel nodded. Kane let go of her and said goodnight. A few minutes later, Taker came in and hugged Angel. It was then that Angel started crying again.

"Baby girl?" Taker asked.

"David's leaving the company, Daddy! He said we're still together...but...it still hurts." Angel said.

Taker nodded. He did what Kane had just done. Eventually, Angel fell asleep. Taker laid her down and pulled the blanket up over her. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. The lights above the two brothers exploded.

"Take it easy, big brother." Kane said.

"I hate that boy for hurting her! But why would he just want to up and leave?" Taker asked.

"Angel said that he didn't feel like being here anymore with Davey retired and him not talking to Tyson he just felt like he wanted to move on." Kane said.

"Did he not think about Angel's feelings when he made the choice?!" Taker asked.

"I'm sure that he did, Big Brother. But you can't blame him for wanting to leave. I mean, think about it Big Brother, if you were in David's shoes, wouldn't you want to leave?" Kane said.

"Yes, I would, but still...could he have at least given a thought to how much it was going to hurt Angel if he did leave?" Taker said.

"Big brother, I'm sure he did think about how much it was going to hurt her. Not to mention what this is going to do to Kristy. But you have to realize that David hasn't been happy here since he and Ty split up and Davey had to retire. If he feels like he needs to move on, then he should. We can't make this choice for him. No matter how mad we get at him, he's doing what's best for him. I mean, think about it, big brother, the first time you left on your vacation, Angel was heartbroken, but she had all of us. We'll get her through this just like we did then. Don't worry so much. It will ruin your image." Kane said.

"Since when did you become the voice of reason for me?" Taker asked.

"I don't know." Kane said with a shrug.

"I'm supposed to worry about my kids, little brother. I'm their Dad. It's what I'm supposed to do." Taker said.

"I know, big brother, but you can't force David to stay. Not even Kristy can do that. You just need to wish the kid well. Besides, he might come back one day. But you have to understand that he loves Angel. That's the only reason he's stayed this long. But having the Harts around all the time and then not having his Dad...he doesn't know what to do. And Tyson is his best friend so that's got to be hurting him too. Just try to understand where he's coming from, Big Brother. Please?" Kane said.

"Fine, but if he cheats on my baby girl, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands." Taker said.

"If that happens, there will be a line of people behind you, waiting to get whatever is left." Kane said.

"Do you see it happening?" Taker asked.

"No. David's going home for a bit. He misses his Dad." Kane said.

Taker nodded. Although, he wasn't sure he was convinced. David had screwed up before and almost cost himself his relationship with Angel. Just then, the door opened and a crying Kristy came in. Taker sighed. He walked over and put his arms around his god daughter.

"Hey, what happened?" he asked.

"David just told me that he's leaving!" Kristy said.

"We know, Kristy. He's leaving because he's not happy. Your Dad is retired now because of his back problems and Ty isn't speaking to him. He wants to do something else." Taker said.

"Ty is speaking to him! He won't talk to Ty because he thinks that Ty betrayed him! And I know he's leaving because of Dad! But he...he's not supposed to leave Ang and I." Kristy sobbed.

"What do you mean?" Kane asked.

"He...promised us both that he wouldn't leave us here..." Kristy sobbed.

"Kristy, is there another reason why he would leave? One that would make him break that promise?" Taker asked.

"The only thing I can think of is that he was fired, but he wasn't." Kristy said.

"That's true. He would have said something if he had been fired." Taker said.

"Unless he was and he just didn't want to tell anyone." Kane said.

"That's true too. He's a lot like you, Little Krissy. He doesn't want anyone to know when something is bugging him." Taker said.

"It doesn't matter why he's leaving! He broke his promise! We were taught that you don't break promises!" Kristy sobbed.

"Kristy, I know that. But sometimes, you have to break a promise because things change and you can't keep it. If David did get fired there's no way that he can keep his promise to the two of you anymore." Taker said.

"Hang on, Kristy. Technically I'm still the Director of Operations since Hunter hasn't relieved me of my duties yet, so let me make a phone call, OK?" Kane said.

"You'd do that for me? Even after...I kind of acted like a bitch to you?" Kristy asked.

"Yeah, well, you had every right. I was being a bit of an asshole." Kane said.

Kristy laughed. Kane stepped out of the room. When he came back about twenty minutes later, he looked angry and upset. He wasn't looking forward to having to break this to Kristy. _And I'm not looking forward to breaking this to Angel tomorrow either._ He thought.

"Well, what's the verdict?" Taker asked.

"Apparently Johnny Ace went to David and said they didn't want him in the company anymore." Kane said.

"WHAT?! How long ago was this?!" Kristy asked.

"A while ago. Like around Wrestlemania Twenty-Seven." Kane said.

"Then what was he still doing here?" Taker asked.

"Angel and Kristy are here." Kane said.

"Well, at least you know you're loved." Taker said, looking down at Kristy.

"What else did that idiot say?" Kristy asked.

"Um...that I was gonna pay for turning on him and he'd relieve me of my duties as Director of Operations on SmackDown and that since it was Angel and Big Brother's doing, they were next when he got through with me." Kane said.

"If he manages it. And if we're still around." Taker said.

"What do you mean?" Kristy said.

"Well, it's almost break time for you. And I think the stress of being on the road is starting to get to Angel." Taker said.

"It's getting to me too, Uncle Taker." Kristy said.

"I can tell." Taker said, "Go and get some rest, Little Kristy, OK?"

Kristy nodded and left the room, hugging Kane and Taker before she left. After she left, Taker checked on Angel one more time before finally turning in for the night.


	5. Stressful Times

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 5: Stressful Times**

Angel sighed as she sat in the locker room. She was surrounded by her friends and family. Everyone was there except for David. He had left now. Before he had left, he had given Angel a pair of custom made earrings. They were in the shape of her father's symbols. Right now, they were stowed safety in her bag. She was only going to wear the earrings on a special occasion. David was already signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling where he would be wrestling under the name Davey Boy Smith Junior. Angel was lost in thought.

"Baby girl? Are you alright?" Taker said.

"I'm fine. Don't worry." Angel said.

"Come on, Little Angel, don't give us that. You miss David don't you?" Kane asked.

"Of course I do. But I'm glad he can be happy." Angel said.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you're upset that he left, does it?" Kane asked.

"No...and...I hope nothing happens to him...and that he doesn't cheat on me...or forget about me." Angel said.

"No way, Ang. My brother loves you way too much to cheat on you or forget about you!" Kristy said.

"Not to mention if he does, I'm going to kill him." Davey said.

"You'll be waiting in line behind me, Bulldog." Taker said.

"And me." Bret said.

"You'll be behind me, Hitman." Kane said.

"Brother or no brother, if he does anything to hurt Angel, I will castrate him!" Kristy said.

"Thanks, guys." Angel said.

"No problem, baby girl." Taker said.

"I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a bit." Angel said, standing up.

She left the locker room. Everyone looked at each other and then looked at Taker. They were wondering what it was that had Angel so upset and if it was just because of David leaving. Kristy stood up to go after her, but Taker stopped her.

"Just let her go. She's having a hard time right now." Taker said.

"I know, but it's dangerous for her to walk around with Big Nose out there." Kristy said.

"I know, but she needs to be alone." Taker said.

"What's getting her down? I mean, is it something other than David leaving?" Bret asked.

"She's worried that she's the reason that David stuck around when he wasn't happy." Kane said.

"Then there's the fact that she's generally not happy." Taker said.

"The stress getting to her?" Owen asked.

"Partly. And she's questioning if it's worth being here." Taker said.

"Sounds like Kristy lately." Bret said.

"Uncle Bret, please. This is about Angel not me." Kristy said.

"Angel's had more than her fair share of break downs in the last little while. She woke up crying in the night last night a couple of times." Kane said.

"That poor kid. She's always going through something..." Davey said.

"What was she upset about, Uncle Taker?" Kristy asked.

"She was missing Beth." Taker said.

"Again?" Bret asked.

"No, not again. Still." Taker said, giving Bret his trademark glare.

"Uncle Bret, sometimes I swear that Grandpa Stu needs to wash your mouth out with soap." Kristy said.

"She misses Beth a lot at night for whatever reason. It also happens when she has a big match or something else important happens. She also misses Lea. She wants to be back home and be a big sister. At the same time, she wants to wrestle and loves the fans. She's very confused." Taker said.

"I know that feeling." Kristy said.

"She loves being here and wrestling, but eventually she gets to the point where stress starts getting to her and she wants to be home again. But when she's home, she's always got to be doing something. She's a lot like me in that way." Taker said.

Before anyone could reply, Nattie let out a scream. Everyone looked at her and realized she was staring at the monitor in shock. Hunter was in the ring. Not only that, but he had Angel there with him. She was handcuffed to one of the turnbuckles. Taker growled under his breath and stood up, but Kane stopped him. Hunter was speaking.

"Last week, the Director of Operations, Kane turned on me. I had given him a strict order to come out here and get rid of his niece, the Dead Girl. Now, I'm out here to do two things. One is to permanently relieve him of his duties at the Director of Operations. The other is to get an explanation from him. And Kane, if you don't give me what I want right now, something horrible may happen to your niece." Hunter said.

He nodded at Angel as he spoke. Angel's expression remained stoic but on the inside she was terrified. Kane didn't say a word as he left the locker room. He headed for the ring. Out in the ring, Hunter continued to threaten harm on Angel. He was cut off mid-sentence by a pyrotechnics explosion. Kane walked out to the ring and asked for a microphone.

"You know, Hunter. I knew you were a bastard, but I never thought you would stoop so low as to threaten harm on a woman to get what you wanted." Kane said.

"He's pissed." Kristy said.

"He's not alone." Taker growled.

"You know what I want, Kane. How dare you?" Hunter asked.

"Simple. Family, Hunter. The Dead Girl is my family and you forced me to hurt her and treat her like dirt under my feet. And I'd had enough of it! She doesn't deserve that!" Kane snapped at him.

"OK, Kane. I can see where you would think that. I mean, she is your niece after all and family is important." Hunter said.

"Why do I get the feeling that there's a double meaning behind that?" Bret asked.

"Because it's Hunter and he's an asshole." Taker growled.

"I was going to relieve you of your duties as the Director of Operations tonight, but I've changed my mind. You can redeem yourself. You can take on the family member that you seem to not care about so much. You can face the Undertaker next week. If you beat him, you can save your job as the Director of Operations, but you lose and you lose that job and go back to being a nobody." Hunter said.

"I am not stepping into this ring against my brother. Find someone else to do your dirty work..or better yet...grow a set and do it yourself." Kane snapped.

"Either you do it, Kane, or you're fired." Hunter snapped.

Kane sighed, but thankfully he was spared having to answer by the familiar sound of his brother's gong. Now, Taker made his way to the ring and took a microphone. Hunter seemed worried now. Angel just watched. Taker actually smirked before he spoke.

"And what if I refuse to face my brother, Mr. Businessman? Are you going to fire me for it?" Taker asked.

"Deadman..." Hunter said.

"If you want Kane to redeem himself, step in the ring and face him. If he wins, you leave my family alone. If he loses, he is relieved of his duties as the Director of Operations." Taker snapped.

"And if I win?" Hunter asked.

"If you win, you win." Taker snapped.

"Fine. I accept." Hunter said.

"Good. Now let the Dead Girl go. And I'll see you next week." Kane said.

Hunter nodded. He unlocked Angel's handcuffs and she left the ring with her Dad and Uncle. Angel kept a straight face till she got back to the backstage area. Then Taker noticed that she was scared. He hugged her. Angel burst into tears. Taker and Kane looked at each other. This had been happening a lot lately.

"Are you OK, Little Angel?" Kane asked.

"Are you hurt, baby girl?" Taker asked at the same time.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just...scared." Angel said.

"Little Brother, I'd hate to leave you here to deal with Hunter on your own, but I think Angel needs to go home. She's stressed and needs a break. And Lea's missing us." Taker said.

"It's alright. I'll be fine." Kane said.

"I don't know...I don't trust Hunter, Daddy." Angel said.

"Angel, if you don't go home soon you're going to have a nervous breakdown, baby girl. You need a break." Taker said.

"If you think so..." Angel said.

"Don't worry about me, Little Angel. I'll be fine." Kane said.

Angel nodded and hugged him. Then she headed back to the locker room with the two of them. Taker explained that he was taking Angel home because she needed a break before she had a mental breakdown. After that, they headed back to the hotel. Angel locked herself in the bedroom as soon as she got there. Taker looked worriedly at his brother.

"I get the feeling there is something she's keeping from us." he said.

"So do I, big brother. So do I." Kane said.

Taker sighed. There was only one way to find out for sure. He walked over to the room and opened the door. Angel was just lying there, staring at the ceiling. Taker walked over and sat down on the bed. He didn't say anything. He just waited.

"Daddy?" Angel asked.

"I'm here, baby girl. What's the matter?" Taker asked.

"I'm so confused." Angel answered.

"How come?" Taker asked.

"I want to be here, but I want to be home." Angel said.

"I know, baby girl." Taker said.

"Lea needs us...but when I'm not here I miss the fans..." Angel said.

"I know baby girl. It's hard to be normal and work for the WWE at the same time." Taker said.

"And...I've been having this awful feeling lately. I've been feeling that if I go back home, something bad is going to happen to me." Angel whispered.

"I knew there was something you were keeping from your Uncle and I. You didn't want to worry us?" Taker asked.

"Exactly." Angel said.

"Baby girl, whatever happens, everyone who loves and cares about you will be there for you. And that's an awful lot of people." Taker said.

"I know." Angel said.

"I'm going to take a guess and say that you're still missing your Mom too?" Taker asked.

"As always." Angel whispered, "But at night it's worse. I lay here and think about her and what might have happened if she had never been hurt.."

"Baby girl, you can't always think of the "What ifs?" in life because we can't change the past. All we can do is learn from it." Taker said.

"I know...but it's not easy." Angel whispered, starting to cry again.

Taker sighed and pulled Angel into a sitting position. He hugged her. He wondered if Angel had started having nightmares again about what had happened to her Mother.

"Baby girl, I need you to be honest with me, having you been dreaming about your Mom again?" Taker asked.

"They're not dreams..." Angel whispered.

"What do you mean?" Taker asked.

"It's more memories." Angel said.

"Oh, baby girl..." Taker said.

"I wish they would stop...I mean, at first it was alright. There was some really sweet stuff there...but now..." Angel said.

"It's all bad ones, am I right?" Taker asked.

"Yes. And I'm thinking that Mom isn't actually the one showing me them. I thought it was her when I was seeing all the happy memories, but now I'm wondering." Angel said.

"I don't know, baby girl." Angel said.

Just then, Bethany herself appeared. She knelt down and hugged Angel. She looked up with tears in her eyes. Beth wiped them away. Taker decided to go ahead and ask what it was that was going on with their daughter.

"Bethy, what are you doing? Why are you torturing her with all these bad memories that she doesn't need to see?" Taker asked.

 _"It's not my fault, Mark. I don't mean for her to see them. It just happens." Beth said._

"Well, you've got to stop. She has enough to contend with when she's awake." Taker said.

"Daddy...Mom...please...don't fight with each other." Angel whispered.

 _"We're not fighting, Angel Baby. Your father is being stubborn as always." Beth said._

"Sorry." Taker said.

 _"I get your point though. I'll watch which memories I show her. But it's not just that. She's been having nightmares about my accident too." Beth said._

"Angel..." Taker said.

"I'm sorry." Angel whispered.

"It's not your fault." Taker said.

Angel nodded. Taker laid her down in bed and covered her with the blanket. Then he kissed her forehead and left the room, leaving Bethany with her. Taker sighed as he thought about what Angel had said. He was hoping that she was wrong and nothing bad would happen to her when she got back home.


	6. Devestation

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 6: Devastation**

One month had passed since Angel and Taker had gone home. It wasn't long before Kane had joined them too after being severely injured by Triple H at the Survivor Series back in November. Kristy, Adam and Wyatt were going to be coming to Houston after spending some time in Calgary with the Harts and some time in Toronto with Adam's Mom, Judy.

From what Angel had heard from Kristy, Judy had fallen in love with Wyatt right from the moment she had met him. She also didn't seem to care how he had come to be there. She was more excited that she now had a grandson. She was also very nice to Kristy and was glad that her son was happy. Kristy, however, hadn't really said much about what had gone on in Calgary, but Angel had a feeling it hadn't gone well.

It was about four o'clock in the afternoon and Lea and Sienna were playing in the backyard. Sienna had been coming over to the house every day after school. Angel watched them through the window. She was glad to be home and be a big sister again. Kane was down in the basement exercising, trying to get the strength back into his injured leg. Taker had just left to go pick up Wyatt, Kristy and Adam from the airport.

Taker drove down the street listening to music on the radio. He was excited to see them again. He pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car. Then he walked inside. There were people everywhere. Taker just stood there and waited for Kristy, Wyatt and Adam to come. He seemed to be there forever, but finally he heard a squeal. Wyatt came running through the crowd and hugged him. Taker laughed at him. The little boy barely came up to his knees. He still looked like Kristy's miniature with blond hair and hazel eyes.

"Hi, Papa Taker!" Wyatt said.

"Hey, Little Man, where are your Mom and Dad?" Taker asked.

"They're on their way." Wyatt said.

Just as he said the words, Kristy and Adam pushed their way through the crowd. Kristy beamed from ear to ear when she saw Taker. Adam just smiled at the fact that Wyatt was clinging to Taker's leg. Taker took their bags and they went outside. They loaded the bags into the car and drove to the house. When they pulled into the driveway, Angel was sitting on the porch. Wyatt leaped from the car as soon as it was safe and ran to her. He flung his arms around her neck.

"Aunt Angel! I missed you!" Wyatt said.

"I missed you too, Little Man. Were you good while you were on your trip?" Angel asked.

"Yep! I got to meet my Grandma Judy! She's really nice! And we went to see Grandpa Davey and everyone else too! It was fun, but Diana was really mean as always." Wyatt said.

"That doesn't surprise me, Little Man." Angel said.

"Where's Lea?" Wyatt asked.

"She's in the backyard. Go and say hi to her while I say hi to your Mom and Dad, OK?" Angel said.

Wyatt nodded and took off for the backyard. Angel stood up and helped her Dad with Adam and Kristy's bags. Once they got inside the house, Taker took their bags upstairs to the spare room. Adam and Kristy sat down at the table and Angel got them drinks. It was then that she noticed Wyatt standing by the window, looking nervous.

"What's wrong, Little Man?" Angel asked.

"There's someone out there with Lea." Wyatt said.

"Oh. That's Sienna. She's Lea's friend from school. She's been looking forward to meeting you." Angel said.

"Lea has a new best friend?" Wyatt said, looking upset.

"No, Wyatt. She's just Lea's new friend. She wants to meet you. Really. Go and say hi." Kristy said.

"Can you or Aunt Angel come with me?" Wyatt asked.

"Sure." Angel said.

She opened the back door and stepped out. Wyatt followed and Kristy and Adam came along too. Angel walked over to where Lea and Sienna were playing. Wyatt poked his head out from behind her. Lea saw him and her face lit up. She jumped from the swing while it was in mid-air and ran to him. She gave him a hug.

"Wyatt! Come over here! I want you to meet my new friend!" Lea said.

Wyatt nodded. Lea lead him over to where the other girl was swinging. Sienna stopped her swing and sat there, looking shy just as she had when she had first met the rest of them. Lea beamed.

"Sienna, this is Wyatt. Wyatt, this is Sienna. She's my best friend from school!" Lea said.

"Hi, there." Wyatt said.

"Um...hi. You're Kristy's son...aren't you?" Sienna asked.

"Yeah. I am." Wyatt answered.

"Lea talks about you all the time." Sienna said.

"Oh..." Wyatt said.

"Alright, you three stay out here and play, OK? And I don't want to hear any yelling or fighting." Kristy said.

"OK, Mom." Wyatt said.

"OK." Lea and Sienna said.

Angel and the others walked back inside. By this time, Kane was at the table talking with his brother. Adam and Kristy sat down too and Angel joined them. Kristy explained what had just happened and that she was sure Sienna and Wyatt would get along alright.

"Kristy, Angel told us you had a great time in Toronto, but I get the feeling that being up in Calgary didn't go well. Did something happen?" Kane asked.

"Diana." Adam and Kristy said in stereo.

"Should have known." Taker and Kane said.

"She put her hands on my son!" Kristy snapped.

"WHAT?!" Taker yelled.

"WHY?!" Kane yelled.

"He was doing something he shouldn't have done and she started beating him. Luckily, Bret, Owen and Dad walked in on it." Kristy said.

"NO WAY!" Taker said.

"Yes way." Adam said.

"Where were you two?" Kane asked.

"Mom was actually trying to be super nice and offered Adam and I a break. I was stupid and said yes. I should have known..." Kristy said, looking upset.

"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. We both thought she was just being nice. We didn't think she would hurt him. Not with Bret, Owen and Davey around. We were in the back with Nattie and Ty, talking about what's been happening in the WWE and being on the road when Bret came running out and yelled that Diana had hit him. Kristy got up and took off running into the house and found Wyatt hugging Owen like his life depended on it. When she asked what happened, Davey said that she had hit him. We took him to the doctor the next day. He was bruised but nothing broken. We packed up and left for Toronto as soon as we could." Adam said.

Angel stood up from the table so quickly that she knocked her chair over. She walked upstairs without a word and they heard her bedroom door slam shut. Kristy and Adam looked at each other. Taker sighed and stood up. He headed upstairs and knocked on Angel's bedroom door. He found her sitting on her bed, looking upset. He walked over and sat down.

"Baby girl, it's OK. Wyatt's just fine." Taker said.

"I know, but I never wanted him to go through that. Never!" Angel said.

"I know, baby girl." Taker said.

He hugged his oldest daughter. He knew how she felt about children being hurt in any sort of way. It was only because she had gone to hell and back again when she was a child and it was a touchy subject for her. It didn't help that Angel was the type of person who hated seeing people in pain.

"Daddy, are you still taking Lea and I out for family dinner tonight?" Taker asked.

"Of course. I need quality time with my girls." Taker said.

"I hope Kristy and Adam don't mind staying here with Uncle." Angel said.

"I'm sure they won't mind, baby girl." Taker said.

Just then, Kane, Adam and Kristy appeared in the doorway. Kristy looked upset with herself as she walked over and sat on Angel's other side. Adam looked upset too and Kane looked worried.

"Sorry, Angel. I forgot that I've got to be careful about that subject." Adam said.

"It's alright, Adam. It's just...I never wanted Wyatt to have to go through something like that." Angel said.

"I know, Ang. It was my fault. I felt so stupid for falling for her trick afterwards." Kristy said.

"Is he alright? I mean, I know you said he had bruises, but nothing was broken...but I mean...has he had nightmares or anything?" Angel asked.

"Funny you should ask that Ang. He's been having nightmares on and off since it happened. He's woken up crying." Kristy said.

"God damn it. If I ever get near your mother again, Kristy, I'm going to kill her!" Angel said.

"By all means, be my guest. He was alright for the first little while. Bret and Owen actually stayed over and slept on the floor next to his bed for a few nights, but when they left is when the nightmares started." Kristy said.

"Now he comes into our room and will want to sleep with us. But he doesn't see just Diana. Sometimes he sees what Kristy went through and it scares him." Adam said.

"Thank God he has no idea what I went through. I mean, he knows about it, but he was so young when I told him, he probably didn't understand it." Angel said.

"You're not going to tell him, are you?" Adam asked.

"And make the nightmares a zillion times worse? I don't think so, Adam." Angel said.

"Yeah, so no spilling anything." Kristy said.

"When he's ready, Angel will tell him." Taker said.

"Or if he happens to ask." Kane said.

"Of course. I won't lie to him." Angel said.

Kristy nodded. She was glad that Angel didn't want to lie to her son about what had happened. She was sure that when Angel had children one day, she would be telling them about it too. Angel let go of Taker and stood up. She had to go and get cleaned up for supper. Taker headed downstairs to the backyard and announced that it was time for Sienna to go home. Lea was upset, but Taker said she could come back any time. Wyatt, Lea, and Sienna all beamed. Taker let Wyatt and Lea come with him when he took her home.

Kane explained that his brother was taking Lea and Angel out for family dinner so that they could spend quality time together. Kristy wondered when that had started, but didn't question it. She knew that Lea and Angel were very important to Taker. By the time Taker got home fifteen minutes later, Angel was all ready to go. She said goodbye to them and got in the car. They left.

"I don't understand it. Given all the hell she's gone through in her life, how can Angel be so...so...sane? The things she's been through would make most people go off the deep end, but not her." Adam said.

"She's strong like Uncle Taker. She won't talk about it unless it's really getting to her. Uncle Taker is the same way. I used to be good at seeing when something was bothering him, but now she does that. And he can do the same for her." Kristy said with a slight smile.

"He does seem to know what she needs and when...not to mention he's able to put her feelings into words when even she can't." Adam said.

"Little Angel is more like my brother then we think. Although she's got more than a few of Bethany's traits." Kane said.

"That's true." Kristy said.

"Mom? Is Aunt Angel OK? I saw through the window earlier. She got up from the table really fast and left." Wyatt asked.

"She's alright, baby. Don't worry, OK?" Kristy said.

"But...Aunt Angel's never acted that way. Are you sure she's alright?" Wyatt asked.

"Wyatt...Aunt Angel has been through more in her twenty-three years than most people go through in their whole life. Sometimes things remind her of it and when that happens, she wants to be by herself. That's what happened is all. She's fine." Kristy said.

"Did Papa Taker talk to her?" Wyatt asked.

"Yeah, he did and she's OK now." Adam said.

"Good." Wyatt said.

He ran upstairs to play with his toys. Kristy and Adam sighed in relief. That had been way too close.

"Sometimes that boy is too smart for his own age." Kane said.

"He gets that from Kristy and Owen." Adam said.

"And yet he gets that crazy look in his eyes from you." Kristy said with a giggle.

"Hey!" Adam said.

"She's right, you know. He gets that crazy "I'm going to spear you" look sometimes and it's from you." Kane said.

"He does not. That's the look he gets from Bret!" Adam said.

Kane and Kristy laughed at that. Adam sighed. He was sure Wyatt was more like Kristy then him, but that was OK. He still loved him regardless and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand how John Cena could have been mean and cruel to him and his mother.

Several hours later, there wasn't a sound to be heard in the Calaway house save for Kane's footsteps. He was pacing back and forth next to the window that faced the street in the living room. Kristy, Adam and Wyatt were all sound asleep because they were tired from flying. It was almost midnight and Angel, Lea and his brother should have been home long before now. He couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong, although he hoped not. Every time he saw a car coming up the street, he would stop pacing and watch. He had just watched yet another car drive by without stopping when the phone rang. He ran for it and picked it up.

"Hello?" he asked.

 _"Is this the Calaway residence?" the voice on the other end asked._

"Yes. Who is this?" he asked.

 _"This is the Houston Police Department. Are you Mr. Calaway's brother?"_

"Yes. Is...something the matter? My brother...is he alright?" he asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

 _"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Sir, but your brother and his children have been in a serious car accident. They were apparently on their way back from a night out. It seems as though a drunk driver ran a red light and ploughed into them. They're at West Houston Medical Centre."_

"Oh, my God. Are they alright?" he asked in shock.

 _"I'm not sure, Sir. The best thing to do would be to phone the hospital and see what they can tell you."_

"OK. Thank you..." he answered.

Kane hung up the phone. He was in complete shock. He tried to wrap his head around what he had just been told. His big brother and his nieces had been in an accident. He picked up the phone again and phoned the operator. He didn't have time to sit and look through a phone book to find the number for the emergency room at West Houston Medical Centre. The operator quickly put him through. Yes, all three of them were there. His brother was asking for him and so was his youngest niece, but they couldn't tell him anything about his older niece at the moment. Kane thanked them and hung up the phone again. He ran upstairs. To his shock, Kristy was still awake. She was standing next to the window in the spare room, staring out into the street.

"Hey, Kristy...you're not asleep?" Kane asked.

"No. They should have been home by now." Kristy said.

"Kristy...look, I'm just going to get to the point and I don't mean to be blunt, but if I don't I'll never get it all out..." Kane said.

"What are you talking about?" Kristy asked.

"I just got a call from the Houston Police Department. Angel, Lea, and my big brother have been in an accident. They're at West Houston Medical Centre. Lea and my brother are asking for me...but I don't know how Angel is doing. They wouldn't tell me." Kane said.

"WHAT?!" Kristy shouted, making Adam start awake.

"Huh? What's going on? Why is there a Big Red Monster in our room?" Adam asked, half asleep.

"Adam! Now is not the time. Get your ass up and get dressed! Angel, Lea and Uncle Taker have been in an accident! They're in the hospital! We have to go!" Kristy said.

"WHAT?! OK. OK. I'm up." Adam said, stumbling out of bed.

"I have to go and wake up Wyatt." Kristy said.

Kane nodded and left the room to get ready to go. Adam quickly dressed and joined Kristy in Lea's room, where Wyatt was sleeping on the floor. Kristy walked over and shook him. Wyatt stirred and opened his eyes. He sat right up when he realized that his Mom was crying and his Dad looked very upset.

"Mom? Dad? What's wrong? It's too late to be awake." he said.

"Wyatt, baby...this isn't easy to say...but something bad..." Kristy started, tears cascading down her face.

"What Mom is trying to say, Little Man, is that Papa Taker, Aunt Angel and Lea were in a bad accident and we have to go to the hospital right now, so we need you to get dressed as quick as you can." Adam said as tears formed in his own eyes.

"OK. I'll get dressed..." Wyatt said, looking shocked.

He got up. Kristy and Adam left and went to go and check on Kane. He was already ready to go. A few seconds later, Wyatt came running down the stairs. He had just thrown a sweater on over his pyjamas and put socks on his feet. He ran and got his shoes while his Mom and Dad put their shoes on. They everyone left the house. They got into the car and drove as fast as they could to the hospital. They ran inside and went up to the nurse at the reception desk.

"We're here for Mark, Lea and Angel Calaway." Kane said.

The nurse nodded and took them back to a room. Taker was lying in a bed with an IV in his arm and oxygen tubes in his nose. He was awake, but he seemed like he had bandages all over and he looked tired. Lea was snuggled in next to him, sleeping. She also had oxygen tubes in her nose and an IV. Her right arm and left leg were each in casts and she seemed to have bandages everywhere as well.

"Uncle Taker!" Kristy said, finally giving in and sobbing.

"Hey, don't. It's alright." Taker said, reaching out his arms.

Kristy walked over and gently gave him a hug. Adam walked over and sat in the chair next to the bed. Wyatt climbed up on the other chair so he could see. He started to cry too.

"Why is Lea in the bed with you?" Wyatt asked through his tears.

"Because it was the only way the doctors could do anything for her." Taker said.

"And Ang...have you...?" Kristy asked.

"I haven't heard anything, Kristy." Taker said.

"Big Brother, the cops told me that a drunk driver ran a red light and hit your car." Kane said.

"I'm not too sure what happened. I was driving, talking to the girls. Then the next thing I know, Angel is yelling at me to watch out. After that I blacked out and when I came to again, Lea was screaming that Angel was gone and when I looked over, she wasn't there and her seat belt was broken." Taker said.

"She could have...oh, god." Kristy said, her sobs getting worse.

"Kristy...breathe, sweetheart. Try not to think of the worst, alright? I know it's easier said than done..." Kane said.

"Kane is right, sweetheart. I know it's difficult, but try not to think of the worst." Adam said.

"You expect me to not think of the worst?! My best friend...my twin sister...could be dead and you all think I shouldn't think of the worst?!" Kristy sobbed as her crying turned into a full blown panic attack.

"Kristine...it's alright...the doctors are going to do whatever they can for Angel. Breathe, sweetheart." Taker said.

"But...Uncle Taker..." Kristy said.

"I know, Little Krissy." Taker said.

"Mommy...Aunt...Aunt Angel will be alright." Wyatt said, trying to fight back his own tears.

"Little Brother, I need you to do me a favour. Go find a phone. Call Bret...tell him what happened and tell him to get down here and bring Owen with him. Then call David and tell him." Taker said.

"Right. I'll be back." Kane said.

He left the room. Just as he did, a doctor walked in. Adam and Taker looked at him. Adam's eyes went wide when he saw that there was blood on the doctor's gown. Taker's face went pale. Wyatt hopped off the chair and ran to his Dad, not even wanting to look.

"Mr. Calaway?" the doctor said.

"Please...my daughter..." was all Taker could say.

"It's not looking good for her. We've had to bring her back three times already. She's very weak right now. She was thrown from the car." the doctor said.

"NO! This...can't...be...happening..." Kristy sobbed.

"That's not all. She has numerous broken bones and cuts and scrapes. We've managed to stitch her cuts and bandage them and set her broken bones. Our biggest worry is her head injury." the doctor said.

"Head injury?" Taker asked, his voice cracking.

"Our best guess is that she bounced her head off the ground. We've done a CT Scan on her. It showed that her retinas have been severed. And...well, we need to do surgery on her." the doctor said.

"You're...telling me my daughter has already died tonight and that even if she lives, she'll be blind and possibly brain damaged?" Taker growled.

"I'm afraid so." the doctor said.

"Do the surgery if you have to." Taker said.

"It's risky, Mr. Calaway. She's so weak, she might not survive it."

"Do it. I don't care!" Taker said.

"Uncle...Taker...why?" Kristy asked through her sobs.

"I told her once that I would never just give up on her if something like this happened and whatever had to be done to help her have a fighting chance would get done." Taker said.

"OK. I'll go and get the papers for you to sign." the doctor said.

He left. As soon as he did, Kristy, who was still hugging Taker and sobbing, reached up and pulled out her hearing aids. Rather than pocket them or set them down somewhere, she flung them against the nearest wall.

"Daddy, why did Mommy throw her ear things across the room?" Wyatt asked.

"She doesn't want to hear right now, Bubby. That's why." Adam said.

"Adam, when Bret and the others get here, have Owen meet her at the door. I have a feeling that he's going to have to talk her down." Taker said.

"What makes you think-?" Adam started as Kristy ran from the room.

"That. Yeah, OK. You're right." Adam finished.

"Mommy!" Wyatt said, bursting into tears.

"Wyatt, hey. It's OK. She just needs some time right now." Adam said.

"OK. Um...Papa Taker, what did the doctor mean? Is Aunt Angel broken all over?" Wyatt asked him.

"I'm afraid so, Wyatt. But the doctors are going to try to fix her up." Taker said.

"Is she gonna leave and go be with Grandma Beth?" Wyatt asked.

"I...don't know, Little Guy. Let's hope not..." Taker said.

Before Wyatt could say anything, the doctor came back in with the papers. Taker quickly signed them. Then he asked the doctor if he could see Angel before they took her to surgery. He hadn't seen her since they were in the car, talking.

"Mr. Calaway...that might not be the best idea..." the doctor said.

"She's my daughter!" Taker said.

"Alright. But you might want to wake her sister and let her come along as well...just in case." the doctor said.

Taker nodded. He reached over and shook Lea. Lea stirred slightly and opened her eyes. She looked around in fear when she realized that she was in the hospital, but she calmed down when she realized she was next to her father. She sat up and looked around. She burst into tears when she didn't see Angel anywhere.

"Lea, honey. Do you remember what happened?" Taker asked.

"We were in the car...then Angel yelled at you to watch out. After that...I don't remember...I just know Angel disappeared and she's not here now!" Lea sobbed.

"Lea, I know where Angel is. We're going to go and see her." Taker said.

"We are?" Lea asked.

"Yes...but...she's not...she's not going to look the same, sweetheart. She's very hurt." Taker said.

"I don't care! I want to see her!" Lea said.

Taker nodded. He stood up and picked Lea up. Just as they were about to leave, Kane came back in. A very upset and obviously broken hearted Kristy was behind him. Kane explained that he had found her just outside the hospital and had just hugged her and let her cry and then she had agreed to come back. Taker walked over. He leaned down so that he was at eye level with her.

 **We're going to go and see Angel, Little Krissy. Do you want to come too? Taker signed.**

Kristy shook her head. Taker sighed. He looked up at his brother.

"Big Brother, she's scared more than anything. You can feel her fear. You don't need to sign to her to feel it." Kane said.

 **Kristy...I think you need to see Angel. It...it could be the last time. Taker signed, tears rolling down his cheeks as he did so.**

Again, Kristy shook her head. She had started to cry all over again, but even so she signed back to him this time.

 **I can't...I just can't do it, Uncle Taker. She signed to him.**

 **OK. Is there anything you want me to tell her for you? Taker signed.**

 **Just that I love her and she'll always be my sister. Kristy signed back.**

Taker nodded. Adam said that he would stay outside the room with Kristy, but if Wyatt wanted to see her, then he could go with Taker. Wyatt nodded. They walked down the hall to the trauma room that Angel was in. Taker could feel Lea shaking as they stood there. The doctor opened the door and lead them in. Kristy screamed and buried her face in Adam's chest. She had caught a glimpse of her best friend.

Taker, Kane and Wyatt stepped into the room. Lea let out a gasp and Taker looked down to see Wyatt staring at Angel with wide eyes. Even Kane's eyes were wide. A battered and bruised Angel lay in the hospital bed, not moving. One side of her face was black and blue. She was covered in bandages. Both her legs and her left arm were in casts. Her hair was hanging off the pillow, ready to be cut off. She had two IV lines in her arms. One was giving her blood and the other was giving her some sort of medicine. A heart monitor beeped along steadily with her heartbeat. There was a tube in her throat, which was hooked up to a ventilator. Taker walked up to her and touched the one part of her face that wasn't bruised.

"Hey, baby girl. Adam, Kristy, Wyatt, Lea, Kane, and I are all here and Owen, David and Bret are on their way from Calgary. We're all going to be here for you, so you need to be strong and fight. Please, I know you probably want to go and be with your Mom, but please don't. Please don't give up." Taker whispered with tears in his eyes "Oh, and Kristy asked me to tell you that she loves you very much and you're always going to be her sister no matter what. She would have come to tell you herself, but she says she can't bear to see you this way."

"Hi, Angel...I don't really know what to say, but please...just know...I love you very much. Please don't go." Lea said, kissing her sister's cheek.

"Little Angel...we're here. Just...hang on. Be strong. Please fight and come back soon, alright? And...no matter what...I...I...love you." Kane said, touching his niece's cheek and trying to hold his tears at bay.

"Aunt...Aunt Angel...please don't leave Mommy and me. I'm afraid that if you do, Mommy will never talk again or hear again. Please don't leave." Wyatt said, crying.

Kane lifted him up so that he could give Angel a kiss on the cheek. Taker leaned down and kissed her cheek too. Kane just set Wyatt down and left the room. Taker followed, carrying Lea and holding Wyatt's hand. Kristy was still sobbing into Adam's chest.

"She saw Angel as you went in. Now, she's more scared." Adam explained.

"Maybe she should have stayed home." Kane said.

Taker sighed and walked over to her. He tapped her on the shoulder and then signed to her, asking if she wanted to go home. Kristy shook her head. Taker nodded. Kristy signed to him quickly.

"She says that she doesn't want to see Angel, but she wants to be here...just in case..." Taker said.

"Papa Taker, will Mommy stop hearing if Aunt Angel goes with Nana Beth?" Wyatt asked.

"Wyatt...I don't know what will happen...I don't think your Mommy will ever want to wear her hearing aids again if Aunt Angel leaves." Taker said quietly.

"So, Mommy would still be Mommy, but we'd just have to talk to her differently?" Wyatt asked.

"That's right." Taker said.

"When I find out who did this..." Kane started, anger creeping into his voice.

"Kane, I agree with you, but now isn't the time to go all Big Red Monster on us. We still have a pissed off Bret to deal with and it won't be easy." Adam said.

"Daddy!" Wyatt said.

"Sorry, Bubby." Adam said.

"I don't think Bret is going to be angry as much as he's going to be upset. Angel is important to him. She's his Goddaughter." Taker said.

"What is Goddaughter, Papa Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"Yeah, Daddy. What is Goddaughter?" Lea asked.

"Basically what that means is that if something happened to me, Angel and Lea would go and live with Bret and he would look after them. But with Bret...well, Angel might as well be his fifth child. They've been very close for a long time." Taker said.

"Kind of like Kristy's been your adopted daughter since the day she learned to walk." Kane said.

"Yeah. But Kristy's also my Goddaughter." Taker said.

"OK. So if there's such a thing as a Goddaughter, is there something called a Godson?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes, Wyatt. There is. You're...Angel's Godson." Adam said.

"I am?!" Wyatt asked.

"Of course you are. Mommy didn't want just anyone watching out for you if something happened to her." Adam said.

"Besides, it was because of Aunt Angel that your Mommy kept you in the first place." Taker said.

"What do you mean?" Wyatt asked.

Taker and Adam looked at each other and down at Wyatt. Then they looked back up at each other and nodded. Angel had been right. He had been too young to understand at the time and the time had come to tell him.

"There was a time, Little Man, when your Mommy didn't want to keep you. She wanted you to go to someone else. But then she remembered what had happened to Aunt Angel and decided that even though she didn't want to be a Mom the way it happened, you were her baby and she didn't want you to get hurt like your Aunt Angel had." Taker said.

"Is that why Mommy got really scared when Diana hit me?" Wyatt asked.

"Most likely yes." Taker said.

"But...I don't understand..." Wyatt said.

"Well, it looks like Angel was right. She told you when you were very little what had happened to her, but you were too young to really understand it." Adam said.

"And we promised that Aunt Angel would tell you whenever you asked." Kane said.

"OK. If...she ever wakes up again...she can tell me..." Wyatt said.

Taker nodded, although he was trying to not think about the possibility that Angel would never wake up again. They went back to his room and he got back in bed. Wyatt went over and picked up his mother's hearing aids. He tried to give them back, but she wouldn't take them so he gave them to his Dad instead. There was nothing anyone could do now besides wait.


	7. The Turmoil

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 7: The Turmoil**

It was about four hours later and everyone was still in Taker's room. Wyatt sat on Adam's lap, looking worried. Kristy sat on the other side of the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head resting on them. Judging by the way she was shaking, she was sobbing. Lea still refused to leave Taker's side because she was so afraid of something else happening, so she was lying next to him, trying to sleep, but not having any luck.

Taker laid awake staring at the door. He was waiting for two things, the Harts to stampede through the door or for the doctor to come back and give him some sort of news on Angel's condition. It had been four hours and they had heard nothing.

Just then, Kane came in followed by Bret, Owen, and David. Owen didn't say anything. He just walked over to Kristy and pulled her to her feet. He hugged her. Bret and David looked at each other and then looked at Taker.

"What happened?" Bret asked.

"How is she?" David asked at the same time.

"We were hit by a drunk driver coming back from dinner. And I don't know. It's been four hours." Taker said.

"What do you mean you got hit by a drunk driver?" Bret asked.

"Just what I said, Bret. We were on our way home and some drunken idiot ran a red light and hit us! She was thrown from the car and she's been in neurosurgery for the last four damn hours and I haven't heard a damn thing!" Taker snapped.

"Is she going to...die?" David asked.

"She already has! They've already had to bring her back three times!" Taker snapped.

"D, don't ask that again, man. We've already heard it from the doctor and hearing it from Taker isn't going to change it." Adam said.

"What else did the doctor say?" Bret asked.

"It's not looking good for her. She's got numerous cuts and scrapes, both her legs are broken and so is her left arm. She's lost her sight. And right now they're in the process of trying to fix her head injury! Anything else you want to know?" Taker asked, tears rolling down his cheeks again.

"My God..." was all Owen could say.

"She's broken all over. We saw her...she's all bandaged up..." Wyatt told them.

"Shush, Wyatt. It's OK, Bubby." Adam said, pulling his son into a hug.

"Are you telling me you let Lea and Wyatt see her like that?!" Bret asked.

"Of course. And Kristy was the one that let Wyatt see her, not me." Taker said.

"Bret, I know you're upset, but stop. What if something does happen to her now and they hadn't seen her? Besides, it's better for them to cope with the truth then their fear, don't you think?" Kane asked.

"I...well, OK. You've got a point..." Bret said.

"I want to see her." David said.

"You can't! I told you that she's in surgery, David! You'll have to wait!" Taker said.

"STOP IT! Screaming isn't going to help anything." Owen said.

 **Ang is gone, Uncle Owen and when that happens, we all fall apart. Kristy signed to him.**

"How did Mommy know what we were talking about?" Wyatt asked.

"She can read our lips." Bret said.

"Oh." Wyatt said.

 **Angel isn't gone, Kristy. She's just hurt. The doctors will do what they can for her. Promise. Owen signed.**

"At least she's calmed down some." Adam said.

"She was having a panic attack earlier. She couldn't even bring herself to go and see Angel. She waited outside." Kane said.

"But she got a glimpse of her." Adam said.

 **That was bad enough. She looked...broken. Kristy signed.**

"Yeah, I'd say it was a good thing she didn't see her fully." Bret said.

 **Kristy, I know you don't want to, but you need to put your hearing aids back in, sweetheart. Owen signed.**

 **No! Kristy signed, tearing up all over again.**

"Even if she did put them back in, they might not work. After the doctor came in to tell us how Angel was, she pulled them out and threw them at the wall." Taker said.

"Let's leave them out, Owen. It could be better...in case..." Bret said.

Taker just glared at him, telling him not to finish his sentence. Just then, the doctor came in. He seemed shocked to find more people there than before. He didn't even get a chance to speak before David and Bret jumped all over him, asking about Angel's condition and if she would be alright. Taker rolled his eyes at them as he listened to the doctor explain to them what had most likely happened to Angel that night. Then he turned to Taker.

"We just finished up. She gave us a bit of a scare when we first started, but she's hanging in there. You have one tough girl, Mr. Calaway." the doctor said.

"I want to see her." David said.

"I'm sorry, young man, but you're going to have to wait. She'll be in the recovery area overnight and we'll move her to Intensive Care tomorrow. You can see her then." the doctor said.

"You can't make me wait till then!" David snapped.

"D-D-David, s-stop I-it." Kristy stuttered.

"Krissy?" David asked his sister.

"S-She's a-alive...a-and t-that's...a-all t-that m-matters." Kristy said slowly

"I don't care! I just want to see her and if you don't let me..." David started.

"DAVID, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Bret shouted.

"Come on, D. Let's go for a walk. You need to blow off steam and so do I." Adam said, grasping David on the shoulder.

"I am not going anywhere until I see her." David snapped.

"David, seriously. That's enough. We're all worried about her. And if anyone should be yelling and screaming that he wants to see Angel it should be Taker not you. We've already waited most of the night, a few more hours won't kill us. Now, go with Adam. Get away from here for a few minutes." Owen said.

David sighed. Owen was right. Taker had more right than he did to throw a fit and scream that he wanted to see Angel and he wasn't complaining. He walked out of the room with Adam. Wyatt stood up and walked over to his Mom. He hugged her. He was really worried about her.

"Owen, is there anything that we can do that will make Mommy better?" he asked.

"Honestly, my Mini Me, I don't know. Right now it's a waiting game." Owen said.

"The...only thing that's going...to make me feel better...is Ang waking up." Kristy said slowly.

"Mommy! You talked." Wyatt said.

"And she didn't stutter..." Bret said.

"Kristy...how...?" Taker asked.

"If I talk...slower...I don't...stutter. I...just have to stop...and say every word...in my head...before I say it out loud..." Kristy said, just as slow as the first time.

"How did you figure that out?" Kane asked.

"I...don't know..." Kristy said.

"Kane, don't question it. It works, that's all that matters." Owen said.

"True." Kane said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Taker looked up and saw Dean and Liam standing there. They both looked exhausted. Taker was sure that they had just gotten off work. He also got the feeling that something else was bothering them both.

"Mark, I've got to say you're looking better then you were a few hours ago." Dean said.

"What do you mean?" Bret asked.

"They...were there...tonight." Taker said, a look of realization crossing his face.

"What?!" Bret said.

"Dean's a firefighter and Liam is a paramedic. Remember?" Taker asked.

"Oh, my God." Owen said.

"What...happened...to Angel...you two?" Kristy asked, trying not to cry again.

"Kristy...she was thrown from the car. Luckily, she didn't land too far away from where we found the car. They were hit by a semi pick up." Liam said.

"Was it...there?" Kristy asked.

"No. But we could tell by the damage. Whoever was driving that pick up is most likely wandering around hurt right now." Dean said.

"Whoever they are, they had better hope that Adam and David don't find them or they're not going to be living much longer." Taker said.

Dean and Liam nodded. Liam reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Whatever it was, it was shiny. He walked over and put whatever it was in Taker's hands. Everyone watched as Taker teared up.

"Uncle...Taker?" Kristy asked.

"Angel's jewelry. Her necklace...her bracelet with the locket on it...and the promise ring David gave her..." he whispered, staring down at his hands.

"Papa Taker, can I see the bracelet?" Wyatt asked.

Taker nodded. Wyatt climbed up on the chair next to the bed and looked curiously at the things in Taker's hands. He separated the bracelet from the rest of it and opened the locket.

"Oh! Who are they?" Wyatt asked, looking at the pictures.

"Well, this is Nana Beth. And the other lady is Amber. She took care of your Aunt Angel when Nana Beth gave her up. I gave this to Aunt Angel after she won her first match on a pay-per-view." Taker said.

"Nana Beth is pretty in this picture and Ms. Amber looks nice." Wyatt said.

"Amber was very nice. And she loved Angel very much." Taker said.

"Papa Taker, what's that?" Wyatt asked, pointing to the necklace.

"That's Nana Beth's wedding ring. I gave it to her when I married her a long time ago before your Aunt Angel was even born. Nana Beth's Mommy sent it to Aunt Angel when she was little, but she didn't know who we were and told Amber to get rid of it. Amber didn't. She kept it and Aunt Angel found it later, after Amber died. She always wears it." Taker said.

"Except when she's in the ring." Bret said.

"Well, you can't wear jewelry, now can you Bret?" Owen asked.

"No. Technically you're not supposed to." Bret said.

"But Owen always wears his wedding ring." Kane said.

"Hey! I put tape over it!" Owen said.

"It doesn't stop it from hurting like hell when you punch with that hand." Bret said, making everyone else laugh for the first time.

"And what about Aunt Angel's ring? What's a promise ring?" Wyatt said.

"Your Uncle David gave that to Angel and basically it means that he wants to marry her someday." Taker said.

"Is that why he's so upset right now because he really loves Aunt Angel a lot?" Wyatt asked.

"That's why, Mini Me." Owen said.

"Dean...Liam...can you tell me...was she awake...at all?" Kristy asked, kind of dreading the answer.

"No. She was completely out of it." Dean said.

"Good. That means she didn't feel any pain." Bret said.

"I wish I could remember exactly what it was that happened. I was talking and laughing with them...and then Angel yelled at me to watch out. She must have seen the car coming. Then the next thing I knew, I heard Lea screaming at me that Angel was gone. When I looked over, all I saw was a broken seat belt. I didn't even remember the two of you being there until you showed up here looking like you've been through hell." Taker said.

"You were hit head on, Mark. The lights were so bright, I'm not surprised you didn't see it at first." Dean said.

"It's my fault. I never should have taken them out tonight. Now, Angel is near death and Lea is so scared she doesn't want to leave me." Taker said.

 **Don't say that, Uncle Taker! You didn't know! Kristy signed, glaring at him.**

"Kristy calm down or you'll start stuttering when you talk out loud." Owen said.

Kristy sighed, but she nodded. Taker told her to come over and stand beside him. He picked up Angel's necklace and put it in her hand and closed her fist around it. Kristy started to cry. Taker hugged her.

"You hold onto that until Angel comes back, alright?" he said.

"But..." Kristy said through her tears.

"Listen to me, Little Krissy. I want you to hold onto that because I know you'll keep it safe for her." Taker said.

"O-OK..." Kristy said, breaking down completely.

Just then, Adam and David came back in. They looked angry about something. Adam looked from Kristy to Taker and back again as if to ask what was wrong. Taker looked at Kristy and pointed to Adam. Kristy turned around and opened her fist, showing Adam the necklace. David walked over to the bed. Taker handed over the promise ring. Taker looked at Wyatt.

"Hold out your hand, Little Man." he said.

Wyatt nodded. He held out his hand and Taker put the bracelet in it and closed his fist around it. Wyatt looked down at his hand and then up at Taker. Then he flung his arms around Taker's neck with a smile.

"You have a very important job, OK? You have to keep that safe until your Aunt Angel wakes up. Can you do that for me?" Taker asked.

"I'll do the best job I can, Papa Taker. Then when Aunt Angel wakes up I can tell her all about it and she'll be proud of me!" Wyatt said.

"OK." Taker said.

"By the way, how is she holding up?" Liam asked.

"Not so well. She's...already died three times. She got out of surgery a bit ago and she's in the recovery area. No one will be able to see her till tomorrow." Taker said.

"Oh, my God." Liam said.

"No..." Dean said, shocked.

"By the way, David, Adam what's got you two so angry? I noticed it when you came in." Taker said.

"They just brought someone in. We overheard it. She was telling the nurses she had been in an accident and she had seen one of the people thrown from the car. She...kept apologizing and asking the nurses to say sorry to the girl's father..." David said.

"She said she drove off because she didn't want to get in trouble." Adam said.

"WHAT?!" Bret asked.

"Krissy, did you catch all that?" Owen asked.

 **I'll be right back. Kristy signed.**

"Adam, go with her. Keep her calm and don't let her attack the poor woman here where there are police and security around." Bret said.

"OK. Lord knows, she's going to be plenty angry." Adam said.

"That's Bret's temper." Taker, Dean, Liam and Kane said in Unison.

"Hey! I'm right here you know." Bret said.

Everyone laughed. Kristy and Adam left the room. Out in the hall, Kristy asked for her hearing aids back. She was going to need them if she was going to be yelling and if she wanted to get her point across fast enough. She put them back in and all of a sudden, she could hear everything. She sighed in relief. They still worked. The two of them headed to the receptionist area and asked for the patient who had just been brought in, claiming to have been in a car accident earlier. The nurse pointed them in the right direction.

Kristy and Adam walked into the room, Kristy gasped. It was Alexia or Lexie, the exact same person who had hurt her Aunt Beth over twenty years ago. Kristy fought back the urge to jump on her and start beating the hell out of her.

"You...you...I don't believe this! Killing Bethany Calaway wasn't enough for you?! You had to come back and try and take out the rest of her family?!" Kristy snapped.

"Kristy...is she...?" Adam asked.

"She's the one who took Aunt Beth from Uncle Taker! And now she's done the same thing to Angel! Do you have a deal with someone that every time my Uncle Taker is happy you have to come along and ruin it?! HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU DO THAT TO HIM AGAIN?! HM?!" Kristy asked.

"I...don't remember the accident. I just remember...a lot of noise...and I saw the girl. I got scared and took off. I didn't even realize I was hurt until about an hour ago. I swear...I didn't mean to hurt him or his family. I really didn't." Lexie said.

"That girl you saw being ejected from that car has a name! Her name is Angel Calaway. You've met her before. At the Cemetery Remember? You know who she is! And because of you she's lying in the post-op area of this hospital having just gone through neurosurgery. She's fighting to stay alive!" Kristy snapped.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but I swear that I didn't mean to hurt them." Lexie said.

"I'M HER BEST FRIEND. HER TWIN SISTER, YOU BITCH! I DON'T CARE IF YOU MEANT TO HURT THEM OR NOT! THIS TIME YOU'RE NOT WALKING AWAY FROM THIS, I SWEAR TO YOU! THIS TIME YOUR SORRY, GOOD FOR NOTHING ASS IS GOING TO ROT IN JAIL WHERE IT SHOULD BE! I'M GOING TO TELL THE COPS WHAT YOU DID TO AUNT BETH AND WHEN THEY FIND OUT YOU WALKED THE FIRST TIME, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN!" Kristy screamed.

"That was twenty years ago! You can't charge me for that." Lexie said.

"It was twenty-two years ago this past September and you can be charged for that because it's considered murder and there's no statute of limitations on murder!" Adam snapped.

"AND I AM GOING TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK UP EVERY ACCIDENT YOU HAVE BEEN IN EVER SINCE AUNT BETH'S AND SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS BEEN HURT BY YOU AND IF WE CAN, YOU'LL PAY FOR THOSE TOO! THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL WE'RE LETTING YOU GET AWAY THIS TIME!" Kristy screamed.

"Please...look...I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt." Lexie said.

"DON'T HAND ME THAT CRAP! WHEN YOU MET ANGEL AT THE CEMETERY AND GAVE HER ANSWERS, SHE COULD HAVE PUMMELED YOU INTO THE GROUND WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND HER BACK FOR WHAT YOU TOOK FROM HER, BUT SHE DECIDED TO SHOW YOU MERCY AND LET YOU GET AWAY WITHOUT BEING HURT AND THIS IS HOW YOU PAY HER BACK FOR THAT?! YOU WAIT FIVE FUCKING YEARS AND THEN DO THIS TO HER?!" Kristy screamed.

"Be glad I'm standing right next to her right now because if I wasn't, she would jump all over you and pummel you herself and believe me, she's itching to. And you'd wind up in worse pain then you're in right now." Adam snapped.

"OH, AND I SHOULD MENTION THE SEVEN YEAR OLD GIRL WHO'S SO AFRAID OF SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING THAT SHE WON'T LEAVE MY UNCLE TAKER'S SIDE! AND THE SIX YEAR OLD BOY WHO IS TERRIFIED OF LOSING HIS GODMOTHER!" Kristy yelled.

"Please...you've got to believe me. I didn't plan this. And I wasn't asked this time either...it just...I made a dumb choice and...it just happened...and I'm sorry." Lexie said.

"Dumb?! You call killing a woman and then years later hurting her family dumb?! YOU KNOW WHAT'S DUMB?! WHAT'S DUMB IS THE FACT THAT MY MOTHER HAD TO RAISE ME ALONE BECAUSE MY FATHER—IF I CAN EVEN CALL HIM THAT—WALKED OUT ON HER BEFORE I WAS EVEN BORN! BUT YOU? YOU GET DRUNK AND KILL A WOMAN AND THEN YEARS LATER YOU GET DRUNK AND HURT THAT WOMAN'S FAMILY! YOU LEAVE HER OLDEST DAUGHTER HANGING BY A THREAD, HER HUSBAND SO BANGED UP THAT HE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED AND HER YOUNGEST DAUGHTER SO SCARED THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE DADDY! IT'S PEOPLE THAT YOU THAT MAKE ME THANK WHATEVER OR WHOEVER RULES THIS WORLD THAT PROTECTING MY GIRLFRIEND AND SON IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME OTHERWISE I WOULD TAKE MY BARE HANDS AND KILL YOU!" Adam screamed.

"AND ALL THE APOLOGIZING IN THE WORLD ISN'T GOING TO MAKE ANGEL ALL BETTER OVERNIGHT! IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE MY SON OR HER SISTER FEEL ANY BETTER AND IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYONE THAT YOU'VE HURT WITH YOUR ACTIONS OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS FEEL ANY BETTER EITHER, SO YOU CAN SAVE THE APOLOGIZING FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL LISTEN TO IT!" Kristy shouted.

"Come on, Kristy. Let's go back and tell everyone. We'll let them come and have their time. We've said what we needed to." Adam said.

Kristy nodded. They walked back down the hall. Kristy wondered how her Uncle Taker was going to feel knowing that the same person who killed his wife was responsible for this too. When they got back to the room, Kristy noticed that Taker, David, Lea and Kane weren't there anymore. What's more was that Wyatt, Bret, and Owen were crying, obviously upset.

"What's going on?" Adam asked.

"The doctor was just here. Angel's having complications. Kristy...I know you don't want to hear this...but the doctor thinks they're going to lose her..." Bret said.

"No! No! No! NO! NO! Adam, you have to do it! You have to kill her! Please!" Kristy said.

"Kristy, killing her is not going to do anyone any good. And I thought you wanted her to rot..." Adam said.

"SHE KILLED AUNT BETH AND SHE MORE THEN LIKELY KILLED ANGEL, SO WHY IN THE...CAN'T YOU KILL HER TOO?!" Kristy asked.

"Kristy, it's alright. No one is going to kill anyone. I know this isn't going to be easy for you, but you need to go and be with your best friend." Owen said.

"I can't! I can't see her that way! I caught a glimpse of her earlier and it was worse than all the times Jason hurt her combined. I can't do it!" Kristy said.

"Mommy...please...maybe if Aunt Angel knows you want her to get better too, she won't leave us." Wyatt said.

"I can't, baby. I can't. I'm sorry." Kristy said.

"Kristine Lesley Hart-Smith, I can't believe you're doing this! Angel needs you now more than ever and you're turning your back on her!" Bret snapped.

"LEAVE HER ALONE, BRET! DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO IT IS EXACTLY IT IS THAT SHE WANTS ME TO KILL?! IT'S THE SAME WOMAN WHO KILLED BETH AND COULD QUITE POSSIBLY DO THE SAME TO ANGEL! AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO STAND THERE AND TELL HER THAT SHE'S TURNING HER BACK ON HER BEST FRIEND! SHE ALMOST TOOK OUT HER DAMN KILLER!" Adam yelled, his eyes blazing with that familiar look.

"Daddy has that look, Uncle Owen!" Wyatt whispered.

"I know, Mini Me, I know." Owen said.

"KRISTY NEEDS TO GO AND SEE ANGEL! IF THINGS WERE REVERSED, ANGEL WOULD BE SITTING THERE WITH KRISTY TALKING TO HER AND BEGGING HER NOT TO LEAVE!" Bret shouted.

 _"Bret Hart, if you don't stop screaming at everyone, I'm going to haunt you till the day you die." Beth's voice said._

Everyone looked around. Beth appeared right in between Bret and Kristy. None of them had ever seen her look so angry as she was at this moment. It really reminded everyone of both Angel and Taker. After she had glared at Bret for a minute, she turned and looked at Kristy, kneeling down so she wasn't looking down at her.

"Aunt Beth...please don't take her away yet...I wish I could go and talk to her...but..." Kristy said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

 _"Shush. Don't cry. She understands." Beth said._

"I just..." Kristy said.

"Beth...I..." Bret said.

 _"Don't you even open your mouth right now, Bret Hart. If you saw what I just did, you'd be over here hugging your niece and trying to be an Uncle rather than standing there, yelling at her like she's a child or something!" Beth snapped._

"Nana Beth...are you taking Aunt Angel away?" Wyatt asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

 _"No, my sweet little Warrior, I'm not taking Angel away from any of you." Beth said, holding out her hand to Wyatt._

"Look what Papa Taker gave me. He gave me Aunt Angel's special bracelet and said I have to take care of it for her." Wyatt said, taking Beth's hand and showing her the bracelet with his free one.

 _"Oh, wow." Beth said._

"He said it's an important job! I'm gonna do my best so that Aunt Angel will be proud of me when she wakes up! But I am kinda wondering why he didn't give it to Lea to look after..." Wyatt said.

"Maybe because Papa Taker knew you'd take good care of it for her, Bubby." Adam said.

"Nana Beth...if Aunt Angel is really hurt...can she come and see us? Like you are...?" Wyatt asked.

 _"No. But she can see everything that's happening right now. She's watching. She knows how upset everyone is and she knows that Lea, David, Mark, and Kane are with her right now. And...she saw what just happened between you and that woman, Kristy." Beth said._

"What are you talking about?" Bret asked.

"Honestly, Bret. If you couldn't hear all that screaming from down the hall, you're as old as Dad." Owen said.

"Alexia...the same woman that killed Beth...she caused all this." Adam said.

"WHAT?!" Bret said.

"I somehow managed to fight back the urge to pummel her to death, but I did give her a headache. I think..." Kristy said.

"So...the same person who took Beth from Taker tried to basically finish what she started?!" Bret asked.

 _"Yeah. And boy did Kristy and Adam give her an earful." Beth said._

"Kristy gave her an earful more than I did. I think Kristy scared her more than anything and as far as a headache goes...well, she could be—and sorry about this Kristy—she could very well be deaf after all the screaming Kristy did." Adam said.

"Aunt Beth...when you said Angel understood...did you mean that she understands why I don't want to see her right now?" Kristy asked.

 _"Exactly, Kristy. She knows how hard it is for you." Beth said._

"Does she know that Mommy wants her to get better too?" Wyatt asked.

 _"Of course." Beth said._

Just then, David, Kane and Lea came back in. They looked exhausted, but they weren't upset. Kristy asked if Angel was alright and Kane said that although she had stabilized somewhat, she was still having a hard time.

"Daddy wanted to be alone with her, so we left." Lea said.

"So, what happened with that woman?" David asked.

Beth quickly explained what had happened and how Kristy and Adam had yelled at her and vowed that she wasn't getting away this time. Kristy also added that she was going to go on a hunt to see if Lexie had been in any other accidents and if they could get her for those, they would. Kane said it was a good idea and he'd help if it meant getting the woman who had hurt his brother in more ways than one off the street.

"How is Papa Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"He's not doing so well. I've never seen him this way. He's so...emotional right now. He was adamant about staying with her so she wouldn't be alone." Kane said.

"He _is_ human, you know." Kristy said.

 _"And after all the time he spent searching for her and all the time they've spent together over the last five years, he doesn't want to say goodbye to her. He's not ready to let her go." Beth said._

"And...Ang doesn't want to go." Kristy said.

 _"That's not entirely true, Kristy. Part of her does want to go. Part of her wants to be with me. Granted, it's not a huge part of her, but it's still there." Beth said._

"She's not going anywhere!" Kristy snapped.

"There it is." Bret said.

"Hush up, Bret." Owen said.

"I think Mommy is right. Aunt Angel is strong. She won't just give up. She'll keep fighting. Besides, she knows that we're all here for her too." Wyatt said.

Everyone agreed. Just then, Taker came in. He looked exhausted and he looked like he'd been crying. He carefully climbed back into bed. Kane laid Lea in beside him. The little girl was still too scared to leave him unless she had to. Kristy sighed and decided to just tell him what she had found out. That the same woman who had killed Beth had caused all this. As Kristy told the story, Taker's face changed from shock to anger, but when she got to the part about how both her and Adam had yelled at her and Kristy had said they were going to get her, Taker couldn't help but smile.

"Papa Taker, is Aunt Angel still having a bad time?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes, Little Man, she is." Taker said.

"What happened, Papa Taker? How come she all of a sudden got sicker?" Wyatt asked, looking upset.

"This isn't easy to say, Wyatt." Taker said.

"I know...but I wanna know what happened." Wyatt said.

"You should just tell him, Uncle Taker. I know how he is. He'll sit here and imagine what it was that happened. It's better for him and Lea and the rest of us to cope with the truth..." Kristy whispered.

"My Little Wyatt...Aunt Angel...is in a coma." Taker said.

Everyone froze. They all looked shocked. Lea started to cry again. Wyatt did too. Kane and Kristy both had tears rolling down their faces. Bret punched the nearby wall out of anger. Even Owen looked upset by the news.

"Papa Taker...what's a coma? What does that mean?" Wyatt asked.

"Daddy says it happens sometimes when people get hit on the head or something. It's a really deep sleep and you don't wake up for a while. And...some people don't wake up at all." Lea explained to her friend.

"Is it like Sleeping Beauty?" Wyatt asked.

"Sort of. Only David kissing Angel isn't going to wake her up. She's too hurt." Lea said, tears rolling down her face now.

"That's right, Little Wyatt." Taker said.

"Is that going to happen to me when I go to sleep tonight?" Wyatt asked, sounding afraid.

"No, Little Wyatt. It only happened to Aunt Angel because she hit her head really hard on the ground. It doesn't happen just by going to sleep." Taker said.

"Can I see her?" Wyatt asked.

"That's not up to me, Little Wyatt. You'll have to talk to Mommy and Daddy about that." Taker said.

Wyatt looked at his parents with a hopeful expression. Kristy and Adam looked at each other. They weren't sure what to do. They wanted to let Wyatt see her in case she didn't make it. That way he would at least know what had happened and that she wasn't suddenly just gone. On the other hand, they didn't want Wyatt to have to remember her that way if she did leave.

"I don't know..." Kristy said.

"But Mommy!" Wyatt said.

"It's not that we don't want you to see her, Bubby. It's just...we don't want this to be your last memory of Angel if she decides to leave us." Adam said.

"Why don't I take him with me?" Bret said.

"Please Mommy?" Wyatt asked.

Adam and Kristy seemed to stare at each other for a long time. Finally, they both nodded. Wyatt could see her if he really needed to.

"Alright, Bubby, you can go with Uncle Bret and Uncle Owen to go and see Aunt Angel. But don't be gone for too long, OK?" Adam said.

Wyatt beamed and hugged both his parents. Then he left with Bret and Owen. Both brothers were just as worried about how he was going to react as they were about what they would see when they saw Angel. Everyone looked at Kristy. She had taken the news of Angel's condition a little bit too well and they were worried.

"Kristy...are you OK? You took the news...well, you don't seem too upset by it." Taker said.

"I need some air." Kristy said.

She left. Taker and Adam looked at each other with worried expressions. Lea looked worried too. She hated seeing everyone so sad and she was beginning to think Kristy was right. Every time something happened to her big sister, everyone else seemed to fall apart.

"Um...Daddy, do you think we should call Davey so he can be here for Kristy? She seems more upset then the rest of us and I think she needs her Daddy." Lea said.

"Davey is over in Japan, sweetheart. I don't know if he could get away long enough." Adam said.

"But...Kristy needs him!" Lea said.

"Lea, why are you worried about Kristy when you're hurt too?" David asked.

"Because she's like my sister too. Besides, I'll be fine. And...I spent a lot of time watching Angel when I was little...she taught me to not be selfish..." Lea said.

"That explains it." Adam said.

"Kristy is going to be alright, Lea. This is just upsetting for her because she can't really help Angel this time." Taker said.

"Taker, I don't know about her being alright. Kristy is strong, but this is Angel we're talking about here." Adam said.

"Do you have to go into character all the time? You've been retired for six years." Taker said, rolling his eyes.

"You know he's right, big brother. Kristy's strong, but this is different. This is her best friend and sister we're talking about here." Kane said.

"I said she would _be_ alright, not that she's alright at this very moment." Taker said.

"I know, big brother, but this is Kristy we're talking about here." Kane said.

"I know." Kane said.

"Daddy, why hasn't she gone to see Angel? I think she should. It might help if she faces it." Lea said.

"I agree with you, Lea. It probably would help Kristy a bit if she faces it...but the thing is, Kristy doesn't want to see Angel the way she is right now. It's too painful for her." Taker tried to explain.

"Why, Daddy?" Lea said.

"I'm not sure. You'd have to ask Kristy about that." Taker said.

Lea nodded. Just then, Bret, Owen and Wyatt came back. Bret and Owen looked like they had both been crying and Wyatt's face was very pale. Right after that, Kristy came back, something clenched in both of her fists. Taker knew that one thing had to be Angel's necklace. Owen sighed. He walked over and opened Kristy's fist.

"Guys, we have a problem here." Owen said.

"What happened?" Bret asked

"Kristy's hearing aids are broken." Owen said.

"WHAT?!" Bret yelled.

"No use in yelling, Hitman. She can't hear you." Taker said.

 **Kristy, how did your hearing aids get broken? Owen signed.**

 **I threw them on the ground and stomped on them. Kristy signed.**

 **Kristy! Why would you do that? David signed to his sister.**

 **Because it's my business! Kristy signed, giving her brother a cold glare.**

 **Kristy, come on, sweetheart. Why did you break your hearing aids? Taker signed, looking at Kristy with a worried look.**

 **Like I said, my business. Kristy said.**

 **Kristy, I know why you did it. You broke them because you lost your temper and you couldn't keep your anger in anymore. Right? Owen signed.**

 **Yes. Kristy signed.**

 **And did you happen to think about the fact that you've got no way to communicate with your son without them? Bret signed, glaring at Kristy.**

"Bret, don't! Everyone is having a hard time. Don't add to it!" Taker said.

"You leave my Mommy alone, Uncle Bret! She's worried about Aunt Angel. And so what if she can't talk to me? She can read my lips! That's all that matters." Wyatt said.

"Calm down, Mini Me. Your father's temper is showing." Owen said.

"Daddy? Can you ask Kristy why seeing Angel is painful?" Lea asked

 **Kristy, did you catch that? Taker signed.**

 **Because, LeLe, I've seen her like this before and it's hard seeing her like that. Especially when nothing like this has happened to her in a while. Kristy signed.**

"I think I get it." Lea said.

"Um...Papa Taker...what are we going to do? Mommy can read my lips...but I can't talk to her." Wyatt said, bursting into tears.

"We can teach you sign language. Just like we did with Lea." Taker said.

"Actually, we didn't teach it to her. She just...kind of learned it by watching." Owen said.

"Well, I'll teach Wyatt how to do it. That way he can talk to his Mom until she gets her hearing aids fixed." Lea said.

"OK, Lea." Wyatt said.

 **Kristy, Lea told me something earlier. You don't have to do it, but don't you think it would be a good idea for you to face this and just go and see Angel? If you want, someone can go with you so you won't be by yourself. Taker signed.**

 **I can't...I need air again. It's getting stuffy in here. Kristy signed.**

She left the room again. This time Owen followed her and caught up to her before she could get too far. He tapped her on the shoulder and Kristy turned around. Owen hugged her and she started to cry. After a few minutes, she looked up at her favourite Uncle with tears in her eyes.

 **How come everyone keeps telling me to go and see her? Don't they know that I can't? Kristy signed.**

 **Krissy, I know it's hard to see her like this, but there's something else going on with you. This isn't the hospital back home. This is Houston, not that one. Owen signed.**

 **How did you know? Kristy signed.**

 **Because you get this look in your eyes whenever we talk about hospitals or are anywhere near one. I know you love Matt, sweetheart, but you've got to let go of what happened. None of us knew that would happen. Owen signed.**

 **I know, Uncle Owen. It's just...every time we're in a hospital I remember that. I was only three...and he was a lot like Angel...he cared about me in spite of the deafness and everything. Kristy signed.**

 **I know he did. And I know you miss him a lot, but no one knew he would get so sick, sweetheart. Owen signed.**

 **Every time I see someone in the hospital, I see him and it hurts way too much to have to see someone like that. I...can't be strong this time. Kristy signed.**

 **Kristy, I know it's not easy, sweetheart, but I think Lea is right. You can't keep running away. Owen signed.**

 **Uncle Owen...will...you go with me...? Kristy signed.**

 **Of course. Owen signed.**

They walked back the way they had come and headed to the recovery area. Owen had never seen Kristy so afraid before. She was taking deep breaths as she walked, trying to keep herself calm. When they got the recovery area, Kristy stopped outside the door.

 **Uncle Owen...Kristy signed.**

 **It's OK. Whenever you're ready. Owen signed back.**

Kristy nodded. They seemed to wait there forever until Kristy finally opened the door. Owen lead Kristy over to where Angel was laying. He looked down to see Kristy's eyes widen in fear. In a way, Angel had looked worse than when she had caught a glimpse of her. She was still hooked up to a ventilator and blood and fluid were still being pumped into her through IV lines. She seemed to have more bandages then Kristy had seen the first time, but that was probably because they were now on her head from her nose up. Kristy walked forward slowly and took Angel's hand.

Kristy closed her eyes and fought back tears. Owen could tell that she was trying to put on a brave face for his sake, but he also knew that this was killing her.

 **Kristy, are you alright? Owen signed.**

 **She's...so hurt... Kristy signed.**

 **I know, sweetheart, but she can't feel any pain right now. Try...talking to her. She'll hear you. Owen signed.**

"Ang...I...want you to know that I'm here...and that I want you to get better. I...would have been here...before now...but...well, you understand. Just...please...get better...OK? Uncle Taker...Lea...Wyatt...everyone needs you. We're all...falling apart...please come back...I...know that...I had Uncle Taker tell...you this earlier...but don't forget...that I love you...and you're always going to be...my sister." Kristy said.

She let go of Angel's hand and then turned to Owen and signed that she was ready to leave now. Owen nodded. They left and went back to Taker's room. As soon as she saw Taker, she ran to him, bursting into tears and throwing her arms around him.

"Ouch. Easy there, Kristy. What happened?" Taker asked.

"I took her to go and see Angel. She actually went in and held Angel's hand and talked to her. Now, apparently, she needs you." Owen said.

Taker nodded. He didn't say anything to Kristy. He just hugged her and let her cry. Eventually, Kristy fell asleep. Owen picked her up. He laid her on the couch and put his coat over her. Everyone else sat down in chairs. One by one, they all fell asleep. It was just after seven in the morning. It had been a long night.


	8. Coming Back

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 8: Coming Back**

 _Angel sighed as she watched her family and friends. Not only was she watching them, but she could hear them too. Down there, five months had already gone by, but in the In-Between it was like she had just arrived there. Bethany and Leanna had been with her the whole time. She didn't mind watching everything, but it was hard to watch what it was doing to everyone. Kristy was right. Every time something happened to her, everyone else seemed to crumble and fall apart._

 _"Mom...Grandma...what is it about me? Every time something happens to me, the others fall apart." Angel said._

 _"Because they can't stand the thought of you being hurt, Angel Baby." Beth said._

 _"Well, I don't like it! I hate doing this to them." Angel said._

 _"It wasn't you that did this, sweetheart." Leanna reminded her._

 _"I know, but it feels like it was me." Angel said._

 _"Angel Baby, no one knew this would happen. It wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Beth said._

 _"I know, Mom." Angel said._

 _"But you still feel bad because of what it's doing to everyone else." Leanna said._

 _"Especially Daddy, Lea, Wyatt and Kristy. They're taking it really hard. I mean, Lea and Wyatt have been having constant nightmares, Kristy broke her hearing aids and could care less if she ever hears another sound...and Daddy is...trying to put on a brave face, but it's not working so well..." Angel said._

 _"I know, Angel Baby." Beth said._

 _"Mark's always been that way. He always tries to put on a brave face, no matter how tough things get for him. It's the way he is, sweetheart." Leanna said._

 _"I know..." Angel said._

 _"What else is on your mind, Angel Baby?" Beth said._

 _"I wish I didn't always have to hurt them." Angel said._

 _"Angel Baby, what are you talking about? It's not because of you that they get hurt sometimes." Beth said._

 _"No, but they're hurting because I'm hurt!" Angel said._

 _"Sweetheart, it's because they love you. If they didn't love you, they wouldn't be hurting." Leanna said._

 _"What about David and the others? They left me." Angel said._

 _"They had to get away for a bit. It's hard for them to see you like that all the time. Think about it, time passes differently there. It's been five months down there and nothing has changed." Beth said._

 _"Well...when you put it like that...I guess I can see why they left..." Angel said._

 _"Honestly, I'm surprised that Kristy hasn't left yet. That girl is stronger than I thought she was." Leanna said._

 _"Seeing me that first time was really hard for her, but once she did that I think she felt better. But I would have understood if she didn't come to visit me at all." Angel said._

 _"She never would have been able to go all this time without seeing you." Leanna said._

 _"She'd have broken sooner or later, Angel Baby." Beth said._

 _"Mom...if I wake up...do you know what I'm going to be like?" Angel said._

 _"What do you mean?" Beth said._

 _"Will...I still be me?" Angel asked._

 _"I can't tell you that, Angel Baby. Every person is different, so it all depends on you." Beth said._

 _Angel nodded. She looked down to where she could see everything. She saw Lea come running in with her backpack on. Adam and Wyatt came in behind her. Angel guessed that the two of them had gone to get Lea from school since Taker didn't want to leave unless he had to. Angel watched broken hearted as Lea's hopeful expression disappeared and she burst into tears. Angel sighed. This was something that had been happening ever since the doctors had taken the bandages off her eyes. Lea ran to Taker and hugged him._

 _"That poor girl..." Leanna said._

 _"She's been doing that since they took the bandages off my eyes..." Angel said._

 _"She thinks that someday she'll come in and your eyes will open." Beth said._

 _"She's not the only one. Wyatt thinks that too." Angel said quietly._

 _"They don't really understand, sweetheart. They just know that you're hurt and you've been in a really deep sleep for a long time." Leanna said._

 _"My little Warrior thinks you're sleeping beauty." Beth said._

 _"Mom...how come you call him that?" Angel asked, curiously._

 _"That's what his name means. Little Warrior. I always liked the name Wyatt for a boy." Beth said with a smile._

 _"Oh...I wonder what he thinks right now...I mean...David kissed me before he left and nothing happened." Angel said._

 _"Angel, how do you know about that?" Leanna asked._

 _"Because I felt it. I'm essentially in two places at once. My body is there...but my spirit isn't. And it's really strange, but sometimes I can hear and feel things that happen. I know that seems odd..." Angel said._

 _"Not really, Angel Baby. And Wyatt is convinced that David is not your Prince Charming." Beth said._

 _Angel giggled. She would have to fix that when she woke up that was for sure. She was standing there, watching what was happening, when suddenly, things seemed to get dark around her. She looked around, evidently scared._

 _"Mom...Grandma...what's going on? Is something happening to my...body? Why is it so dark all of a sudden?" Angel asked._

 _"It's getting time for you to wake up, Angel Baby." Beth said._

 _"But...I just got here!" Angel said._

 _"You've been here for five months, Angel." Leanna reminded her._

 _"Oh...right...the time is different here..." Angel whispered, tears forming in her eyes._

 _"Hey, don't do that, sweetheart." Leanna said._

 _"But...I don't want to go yet..." Angel said, bursting into tears._

 _"You're still needed, Angel Baby. Kristy, Lea, Wyatt, and your father need you." Beth said, wiping her tears away._

 _"But...you both need me too." Angel sobbed, flinging her arms around her Mom's neck._

 _"Angel Baby, your Grandma and I are always around you. You know that. Trust us, OK?" Beth said._

 _"But...I want to stay with you." Angel sobbed._

 _"I know, Angel Baby, but you have to go back." Beth said._

 _"Everyone needs you, Angel. They would be so very broken hearted if you didn't go back." Leanna said._

 _"But...what about you two? Won't you be lonely?" Angel asked._

 _"We'll be alright here, Angel Baby and if you need us, you just have to call. Just like you do all the time." Beth said._

 _"Don't be scared, sweetheart. No matter what happens, everyone will be there for you." Leanna said._

 _Angel nodded. She let go of her Mom and flung her arms around her Grandmother. Somehow, she had known that Angel was afraid to wake up. She let go of her Grandmother and waited._

 _"Baby girl, can you hear me? It's Daddy." Taker's voice said._

 _"Is...he calling me back?" Angel asked._

 _"Yes. It's time for you to go, Angel Baby." Beth said._

 _Angel nodded. She closed her eyes._

Everyone had been sitting in the hospital room when Angel had squeezed Lea's hand, making the little girl scream out loud. This was immediately followed by her turning her face toward the sound of Lea's screaming. Taker stood up and took hold of Angel's other hand.

"Baby girl, can you hear me? It's Daddy." Taker said.

Angel turned her face toward him. Even though her eyes weren't opening, she seemed to be able to hear what they were saying. Adam sighed and walked over to Kristy. She still couldn't hear and hadn't bothered to even repair her hearing aids. She said she wouldn't until Angel woke up. He knelt down.

 **Hey, sweetheart. I think she's waking up. Adam signed.**

 **Very funny. Leave me alone. Kristy signed.**

"Taker, can you tell her what's going on? She'll believe you." Adam said with a sigh.

Taker nodded. He let go of Angel's hand. He walked over and knelt down in front of Kristy. He wasn't really surprised by her reaction, given that it had been five months and nothing had changed. Angel had even missed Christmas and Wyatt's birthday because of this.

 **Little Krissy, he's not joking. Angel really might be waking up. He signed.**

 **You said that two days ago. Kristy signed back.**

Taker sighed. He grabbed Kristy's hands and pulled her to her feet. He literally dragged her over to Angel's bedside. Kristy just glared at him angrily, wondering what he was doing. Wyatt was staring at his mother in shock. She had the exact opposite reaction that he had expected. He had expected her to be excited and happy.

 **Take hold of her hand and talk to her. Taker signed.**

 **This isn't funny. Kristy signed.**

 **Mommy, just do what Uncle Taker says. Wyatt signed.**

He had picked up on sign language pretty fast. Lea and Sienna had worked together to teach it to him and it wasn't long before he was easily carrying on full conversations with his Mom. Kristy sighed as she looked at Wyatt. He was ready to cry. She glared at Taker one last time before doing what he said. She took her best friend's hand.

"Ang...they're...all saying...you're waking up..." Kristy said.

Just as she had done the first two times, Angel turned her head toward the sound of Kristy's voice. Not only that, but Angel squeezed her hand. It wasn't very strong, but Kristy felt it. Tears started rolling down her face.

 **Told you, Mommy. Wyatt signed with an Adam like grin on his face.**

 **Watch it, young man. Kristy signed.**

"Angel...if you can hear me...squeeze my hand." she said out loud.

Angel squeezed her hand in response. It was stronger this time. Kristy resisted the impulse to yell at her best friend to just open her eyes already. She knew that it may take some time for Angel to actually open her eyes since she was pretty sure all of Angel's strength was gone. She also resisted the urge to shake Angel awake.

 **What is it, Kristy? Taker asked.**

 **I told her to squeeze my hand and she did. I'm trying as hard as I can not to yell at her or shake her awake. Kristy said.**

 **She may not be able to yet. Taker signed.**

 **I know. All her physical strength is gone. Kristy said.**

"Aunt Angel, are you really there? Can you really hear us?" Wyatt asked.

Angel turned her face toward Wyatt now. Everyone watched as his face lit up like they hadn't seen in almost five months. He was beaming from ear to ear. Lea was even smiling even though she was crying too. Adam and Taker just watched, but both of them were smiling.

"How come all her strength is gone if she's been sleeping this whole time?" Wyatt asked.

"Because the accident weakened her, Bubby." Adam said.

"It did?" Wyatt asked.

"It's kind of hard to explain, Little Man." Taker said.

"OK." Wyatt said.

"Baby girl...I know that it might be hard for you, but can you try to open your eyes?" Taker asked.

Angel didn't move for a second. Then she let go of Kristy and started reaching out, trying to find her father's hand again. It took a minute for Taker to realize that she hadn't moved at first because there was no way for her to turn her head toward him because of where he was standing. Kristy moved aside and Taker took Angel's hand. Then all of sudden, Wyatt screamed. Everyone looked and saw Angel's eyelids fluttering. After a minute they stopped. Angel sighed as if she was telling them that she didn't have the strength needed.

"Come on, Angel. You can do it." Lea said.

"Please, Aunt Angel. Otherwise I'm going to tease Uncle David again about not being a real Prince." Wyatt said.

"Ang...don't do this to me...don't you...dare! You're...so close..." Kristy said.

"She means that, Angel." Adam said.

"Come on, baby girl. I know it's not easy, but keep trying. I know you're in there." Taker said.

Angel's eyelids began fluttering again and after a few tense minutes, her eyes opened for the first time in five months. Everyone waited to see if she would say something, but nothing happened. She just stared straight ahead. Taker left the room and went and got the doctor. He came back a few minutes later. He examined Angel quietly. First he asked her to squeeze his hand, which she did. Then he asked her to look at him, which she did even though she wasn't actually able to see him. They were sure that she had simply figured out where his voice was coming from and looked that way. When he asked her to speak, Angel shook her head.

"Doctor...?" Taker asked.

"This is just the beginning Mr. Calaway. Angel has a long road ahead of her. She's going to have to relearn a lot of things over again. Speaking, walking, feeding herself, that sort of thing. It's going to take a lot of work. This is just an idea, but putting her in an institution might be for the best." the doctor said, as Lea and Wyatt translated for Kristy so she would know what was being said.

 **Did he just say put Angel somewhere?! Has he lost his mind?! Uncle Taker, you're not putting Angel anywhere! Not as long as I'm standing! Kristy signed back, glaring at the doctor.**

"Unless it's a rehabilitation hospital, my daughter is going nowhere near any sort of institution!" Taker growled.

"Mr. Calaway, a rehabilitation hospital would be of some help but not much. She's going to need a lot of looking after." the doctor said.

 **Listen, you bastard, if you open your mouth one more time about putting my best friend in some sort of nut house, I'll personally lock you in a Sharpshooter for so long that your children will feel it. Kristy signed to the doctor.**

"In case you didn't understand that, my God Daughter just told you if you open your mouth one more time about my daughter in some sort of nut house, she'll lock you in a wrestling move for so long, your children will feel it! And believe me, you wouldn't want her doing that to you." Taker said with a chuckle.

"It would be in her best interest..." the doctor said.

"Any looking after that Angel needs, I can provide!" Taker growled.

"Mr. Calaway, looking after someone like her isn't easy." the doctor said

"What does that mean? What do you mean by "someone like her"? That's mean!" Wyatt snapped.

"Look, Doc, my girlfriend is deaf, but she understood that. She's very pissed off. So I suggest you say your peace and get out because I can't be held responsible for what she does when she loses her temper." Adam said.

"Alright, Mr. Calaway. We'll keep her here for as long as possible and then she'll go to a rehabilitation hospital and they'll do what they can with her. After that, you'll have to take care of her." the doctor said, sounding as though he didn't think Taker could handle it.

He walked out the door. Kristy growled under her breath. Adam and Taker looked just as angry as she felt. Wyatt looked confused and Lea was startled by what the doctor had said. They looked at Angel. She was shaking her head, trying to tell her father that she didn't want to go to an institution. She wanted to be with him.

"It's OK, Angel. No one is putting you anywhere as long as I'm standing here." Taker said, hugging her.

"She may not be able to speak, but she seems to have an understanding of what just happened." Adam said.

"I'm confused, Uncle Taker. What did he mean by "someone like her"? Was that a mean thing?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes, Little Man, it was. It's not something that you need to know, but I want you to understand that just because someone is different, doesn't mean you treat them that way." Taker said.

"I don't care if Aunt Angel is different! I still love her anyway and I'm glad she's still here! Who cares if she's a bit broken inside?!" Wyatt asked.

"None of us, Bubby." Adam said.

"I agree with Wyatt. I'm just happy that Angel is alive...and awake. I don't care if she's different then she used to be!" Lea said.

 **We're all happy she's still here with us. And I'm going to help Uncle Taker look after her if that means that Angel can stay with her family! Kristy signed.**

"Adam, can you stay here? I need to go and call everyone else." Taker said.

"Sure." Adam said.

Taker left and made phone calls to Kane, David and the rest of the Harts. They were ecstatic and said that they would be down to see Angel as soon as possible. When Taker got back, everyone was sitting there, trying to get Angel to actually speak to them. It wasn't working so well and Taker could tell by the look on Angel's face that she was frustrated.

"You guys...don't. She's starting to get frustrated. Let her be." Taker said.

"But we want Angel to talk, Daddy." Lea said.

"She will, Little One, but let her do it all by herself." Taker said.

"But that could take a long time!" Wyatt said.

"I know, Wyatt, but we have to let Angel relearn these things at her own speed." Taker said.

 **It's not easy to learn something new again, baby. Kristy signed.**

"Oh..." Wyatt said.

"Is everyone else coming, Daddy?" Lea asked.

"Bret, David, Owen and my brother are going to come back and see her. Along with Davey, Nattie and Tyson. I didn't tell them she was awake. I just said I had a surprise for them and that it was good." Taker said.

"Daddy!" Lea said.

"I didn't want them thinking she'd left after all." Taker said.

"Dada...?" Angel asked softly, looking right at Taker.

"What the...? Where did that come from?" Adam asked.

"Aunt Angel said Daddy." Wyatt said.

"Dada..." Angel repeated, a little louder this time.

"I'm here, baby girl." Taker said.

"I don't understand where that came from." Adam said.

"She's trying to see if Uncle Taker is around. Honestly, Adam, even though you cut your hair off, you're still a blond." Kristy said.

"Aunt Angel's talking! But it's only one word..." Wyatt said.

"Give her time, Little Man." Taker said.

"Kristy, did you have to make a blond joke?" Adam asked.

 **Hush. Be thankful I didn't call you Damon again. Kristy signed with a giggle.**

"Angel, we know you can't talk, but do you understand where you are and why?" Taker asked.

Angel just stared at him for a second. Then she shook her head. She didn't remember what had happened or how she had got there or even where she was. Taker felt worried. The fact that Angel had no memory of what had happened scared him.

"She doesn't even know where she is?" Lea asked.

"Apparently not and that worries me." Taker said.

"Ang...you...were in a car accident. You're...in the hospital." Kristy said slowly.

"Mommy spoke." Wyatt said.

"She can speak, Bubby. It's just it's easier for her to sign." Adam said.

"But she can't sign to Aunt Angel because Aunt Angel can't see it." Taker said.

"Oh..." Wyatt said.

"Dada...bad...thing..." Angel whispered.

"That's right, baby girl. Something bad happened to you." Taker said.

"How did you get all that from three words, Uncle Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"It's hard to explain, Little Man." Taker said.

Wyatt nodded. Taker suggested that Angel try and rest because she still looked exhausted. She nodded. She felt tired too, she just didn't know how to tell them. It wasn't long before she dozed off to sleep. Lea and Wyatt were scared at first, but Taker reassured them that she would wake up again.

Several hours later, Angel was awake again. She seemed a lot better. The doctor had come back and checked on her several times and they were beginning to slowly take her off the ventilator. She still hadn't talked much other than saying "Dada" and a few other random words here and there. Suddenly, there was a stampede of feet outside the door. The next moment, Kane, Bret, Owen, Tyson, Nattie, David, and Davey all tried to push their way through the door. Angel was startled by the sudden noise. She hugged Taker and buried her face in his chest. None of the Harts noticed. They were all too busy trying to get into the room. Kristy smacked her forehead.

 **Can't you guys be a bit more quiet? Honestly, sometimes I wonder how it is that I'm related to you bozos! Kristy signed.**

"You know, if you stopped trying to all get in here at once, you'd notice something different." Taker told them.

Everyone froze. Then they all stopped trying to force their way in. They all walked in one by one. That was when they noticed it. Angel was hugging her father, shaking out of fear. Taker just glared at them. Then he laughed at the fact that all of them looked completely shocked.

"When...did she wake up?" Bret asked.

Angel perked up and looked around. Taker smiled. He was sure that somewhere, she still remembered, even if she couldn't speak at the moment. Bret walked over and knelt down so he was at eye level with her.

"Hey, kiddo. You doing alright?"

"Dada...bad thing..." Angel told him.

"Huh?" Bret asked.

"She's trying to say "Daddy said something bad happened to me". She can't exactly speak right now. She says Dada and a few other little things here and there and she understands what we say to her." Taker explained to him.

"Oh, OK." Bret said.

"Angel, do you remember who that is, baby girl?" Taker asked.

Angel nodded. She knew that it was Bret and that he was her Godfather, she just couldn't say it. She looked at the spot where Bret's voice had come from. She looked sad as she stared at him.

"Know...but not say..." she told him.

"She knows who I am...but she can't figure out how say it?" Bret asked.

"You got it." Taker said.

One by one, everyone walked over so that they could see Angel. She hugged all of them. She still remembered who they were, but she couldn't say it. When David knelt down and hugged her, Angel had a different reaction. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

"Angel?" David asked.

"She remembers, son. She just can't say it." Davey told him.

"Oh, sweetheart..." David said.

"Don't worry, David. We'll do our best to get Angel as close to normal as she was before." Taker said.

"I don't care what you do with her. She's alive. That's all that's important. And I know you can't say it back to me right now, sweetheart, but I love you very much." David said.

 **By the way, Kristy. Have you found anything out about Lexie? Owen signed.**

 **Yeah...and none of it is good. Kristy signed.**

 **Do I want to hear this? Taker signed.**

 **Probably not, Uncle Taker. It would make that Nathan Jones guy look like he knows what he's doing. Kristy signed, making everyone laugh.**

 **Alright, Kristy, jokes aside...what did you find out? Adam signed.**

 **Well...between Aunt Beth's hit and run and now...she's been in a lot of accidents. Believe it or not, the reason she didn't get caught after what happened to Aunt Beth is because she took off. She left here, only coming back once a year to go to Aunt Beth's grave. Kristy signed.**

 **Where did she take off to? Bret asked.**

 **I don't know. I couldn't find anything about where. Kristy said.**

 **But if she was involved in accidents... Taker signed.**

 **I found out about those although it required hours of digging. One of them took out a whole family. A Mom, Dad, and twin girls. She...has a daughter too. The poor girl isn't that old either. She was born in 2009. But she was in an accident too. She's wheelchair bound now because of her mother. Kristy signed.**

 **My God. Owen signed, looking disgusted.**

 **And there was a young couple. She ran them down one night when they were walking back from a movie theatre. They were both killed. And the baby that the girl was carrying died too. Kristy signed, tearing up a little.**

 **Oh...my...god. Taker signed.**

 **Tell me we're going to go to the cops with this, so that we can get her. Bret signed.**

 **Already done. I called an old friend. He's coming by today. I don't think Ang will remember him, but he remembers us very well. Kristy signed.**

 **Huh? Who is it? Taker signed.**

 **Alex's Uncle Chad. He used to be a cop back home, but after what happened he moved down here and now he works for the Houston PD. I didn't even know until I went to the Sheriff's Office with the information I had found. Kristy said.**

 **Why is he coming by? Bret signed.**

 **When he found out about Ang, he told the Sheriff that he was the only one touching this case. Kristy signed.**

 **I'm guessing he's coming to talk to Taker about what happened that night. Owen signed.**

 **Yeah. He needs all the information he can get about that night. Kristy signed.**

 **That's all well and fine, but I still don't really remember much. And Angel can't tell him anything. Taker signed.**

 **He'll understand, but he's not coming by just for that. He wants to see Ang and I. Kristy signed.**

 **OK. Davey signed.**

 **I'll talk to him. Lea signed.**

 **Lea? Wyatt signed.**

 **Daddy doesn't remember a lot and Angel can't even speak, so we don't even know how much memory she has left...but I was awake for most of it, so I can talk to him. Lea signed, looking determined.**

 **LeLe, you're only seven, but sometimes you act like an adult. Kristy signed.**

Lea beamed. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Angel jumped at the sudden noise. She let go of David and looked around, wide eyed. Taker put a hand on her shoulder, telling her that she was alright. It wasn't Chad, but Dean and Liam. They looked stunned to see Angel awake.

"Angel! How are you?" Liam asked.

"Are you alright?" Dean asked.

Taker sighed and explained Angel's condition to them. They were stunned at first and then it turned to anger. Dean punched the wall and Liam began yelling that if he ever got his hands on Lexie, she would be deader than a doornail. Angel started shaking and she hugged Taker tightly.

"Liam, stop it. You can't make any loud or sudden noises. It scares her. I understand that you're angry, but there's already a cop working on getting her thrown in jail. Not only for this, but for Bethany as well. Take it easy." Taker said.

"You should have heard what that mean doctor said when Angel woke up! He said Papa Taker should put Angel in an institution because she's going to need a lot of looking after and that looking after "someone like her" isn't going to be very easy." Wyatt said, anger creeping into his voice.

"And he made it sound like I'm not going to be able to handle it." Taker said.

"He what?! My Granddaughter is not going into one of those places!" Dean said.

 **Of course she's not, Grand...oops...sorry...I mean, Dean. Kristy signed.**

"Kristy..." Dean said.

"That was weird. She slipped." Taker said.

"That's OK." Dean said with a smile.

"I can't believe that stupid Doctor. So...what are they going to do with her?" Liam asked.

"They're keeping her here for as long as they can. After that, she'll be going to a rehabilitation hospital and then she's coming home with me even if I have to fight tooth and nail!" Taker said.

"And I'm gonna help look after her." Lea said.

 **I will too if it means Ang stays where she belongs. Kristy signed.**

 **Kristy, why did you slip and call Dean Grandpa? Owen signed.**

 **It just happened. Kristy said.**

"It's fine, you guys. Really." Dean said.

Just then, there was another knock at the door. This time, the person at the door was a police officer. He looked vaguely like Alex. He looked around and when he saw Kristy, he realized he was in the right place.

 **Hi, Kristy. He signed.**

 **Hi, Chad. This is my Uncle Taker. And of course you remember Ang. Kristy signed.**

Chad nodded. He walked over to the bed and knelt down so that he was looking at Angel. He said hi to her and she jumped. Then she buried her face in Taker's chest. She was upset by the stranger that was there.

"She must not remember." Taker said.

"Angel, I'm not going to hurt you." Chad said.

"Dada..." Angel whispered.

"Ang, it's alright. It's Uncle Chad. Remember him? He used to take you, Alex, and I to the movies and for pizza on Friday nights." Kristy said slowly.

"No." Angel said.

"Angel...what do you mean no? Does that mean you don't remember?" Taker said.

Angel nodded in answer to his question. Everyone was stunned. Kristy growled under her breath. It wasn't Angel she was angry at. It was Lexie. She had caused this and made Angel forget. Owen walked over and gave Kristy a hug.

"Mr. Calaway, can you tell me what—if anything—she can remember?" Chad asked.

"Not much by the looks of things. She can remember all of us, but she can't say it. Except for "Dada" of course. That's about it." Taker said.

"And a few other random words. And she knows something bad happened." Lea said.

"Is that you, Little Lea?" Chad asked.

 **LeLe, you don't remember him, but he used to give Angel a hand with you. Kristy signed.**

"I'm not little anymore! I'm seven!" Lea said.

"But the last time I saw you, you were just a little baby." Chad said.

 **LeLe, you were barely a month old the last time Uncle Chad saw you. Kristy signed.**

"Oh...OK...well, I'm not little anymore. And...I can tell you...what happened that night if you need to know. Daddy doesn't remember a lot and Angel doesn't remember any of it...but I do." Lea said.

"OK, Lea. Well, why don't you tell me what happened." Chad said.

"Daddy had gotten into the habit of taking us out for family dinner so he could spend time with us. We did that and we were on our way home and we were laughing and talking...and then..." Lea stopped, fighting back tears.

"It's alright, Lea. You don't have to finish it." Chad said.

"No! I want to! We were on our way home and laughing and talking when we stopped at a red light. Everything was fine and then suddenly I heard Angel yell at Daddy to look out. There were lights coming right at us. That woman hit us...we rolled over a bunch of times. Then I heard Angel scream...and she was gone after that. I tried to talk to Daddy, but he wouldn't answer me.." Lea said.

"OK, Lea. That was very brave of you, sweetheart." Chad said.

"I don't even remember half of that. All I remember is one minute I was laughing and talking with my girls and then Angel was yelling at me to look out. I must have blacked out because the next thing I knew, Lea was screaming that Angel was gone and when I looked over at the passenger seat, all I saw was a broken seat belt." Taker said.

"OK. And you know for sure that it was this Lexie woman that did this?" Chad asked.

"She admitted it to the doctors and nurses here. And she kept asking them to apologize to Taker. As if that was going to help!" David said.

"Not to mention Kristy, who lost her temper." Adam said, making Chad laugh and give Kristy a hug.

"That's my Kristy Cat." he said.

"Does our information help?" Lea asked.

"It does a lot Little LeLe." Chad said.

 **That's what Alex used to call her. Kristy signed.**

"What about a trial? Would you...need Angel to talk about the accident?" Taker asked, looking down at his daughter, who had dozed off again.

"Possibly. But we're a long way from that. We've got to catch her and get her to admit to everything first. In the meantime, I think you need to concentrate on getting Angel back up to par." Chad said.

 **Ha Ha. Uncle Chad made a joke. Kristy signed.**

 **Oh, you know what I mean. Chad signed.**

"Does...that mean...you'll take care of Lexie while we make sure Angel gets better?" Wyatt asked.

"Yeah. That's what I meant." Chad said.

 **Uncle Chad, this is my son, Wyatt. Kristy signed.**

 **When you have a son? Chad asked.**

 **January Twenty-eleven. Kristy signed.**

 **Who's the Dad? Chad asked.**

 **That...is a story that I'd rather not tell. Kristy signed.**

 **Krissy Cat, this is me. You know this is me. Chad signed.**

"A man did bad things to my Mommy and now I'm here." Wyatt answered, catching the upset look on his Mom's face.

"Oh. Now I understand..." Chad said.

 **Yeah, that's pretty much it. Kristy signed.**

"Alright, well, I've got everything I need here. I'll pop in and check on you all in a few days and let you know where it is we're at with this. You had better look after her." Chad said, nodding at Angel.

 **We will, Uncle Chad. Don't worry. Kristy signed.**

He nodded and left. Taker leaned Angel back into bed. They all looked at her. She may have been awake now, but she still had a long way to go to get back to where she was.


	9. Developments

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 9: Developments**

Two days had passed since Angel had woken up and they had established that most of the damage from the accident for her had been internal rather than external. The only things that seemed to be affected were her mobility, her speech, her eye sight and her memory. She couldn't remember her childhood or events that had happened just before the accident, but everything else was there. When Taker walked into the room with Wyatt, Angel was still sleeping. Kristy was sitting next to her bed, looking exhausted.

"Mommy, have you been awake all night?" Wyatt asked.

"Not all night. I managed to catch a few hours." Kristy said.

"I'm going to call Adam to come and pick you up. You can go home and rest." Taker said.

"Don't worry about it, Uncle Taker." Kristy said.

"Kristy, I'm calling Adam so that he can come and get you. You're exhausted." Taker said.

"OK. She's been sleeping most of the night, Uncle Taker. The doctor has been in every hour or so to check on her and give her a shot of pain killers if she needs them." Kristy said.

"What about speaking?" Taker asked.

"Not a lot really. I think she just wants you at the moment. She asked for you a million times." Kristy said.

"Well, as long as she was OK...I'll be right back. I'm going to call Adam so he can come and get you." Taker said.

Kristy nodded. Taker left the room. Wyatt walked over and climbed up on his Mom's lap. He could see that she looked completely exhausted and sad and worried. He flung his arms around her in a big hug.

"Don't be sad, Mommy. And don't worry. Aunt Angel will get better. I know she will!" Wyatt said.

"I know, baby, it's just hard for me to see Aunt Angel like this." Kristy told him.

"I know. Is she supposed to sleep this much?" Wyatt asked.

"It's the medicine they're giving her, baby. It makes her sleepy." Kristy said.

"Like when you use my bedtime bath stuff?" Wyatt asked.

"Something like that, baby." Kristy said.

Just then, Taker walked back in with the doctor coming behind him. The doctor did his hourly check up on Angel and then left. Taker sighed. He looked like he was thinking about something.

"What?" Kristy asked.

"Nothing really. The doctor was talking to me." Taker said.

"What did he say, Uncle Taker?" Kristy asked.

"He took a look at her CAT Scans and X-Rays to see if there was a way to fix her eyes and her retinas aren't even there anymore. There's nothing they can do..." Taker said.

"So she's going to be blind?" Kristy asked.

"It looks like it." Taker said.

"But...then she can't wrestle..." Wyatt said.

"If I can do it deaf, she can do it blind!" Kristy said again.

"Kristy, we don't know for sure what is going to happen. We'll just have to wait and see." Taker said.

"Right now Aunt Angel has to rest up. Right?" Wyatt asked.

"Right, Little Man." Taker said.

Just then, Angel stirred a little bit. She seemed to be getting uncomfortable again. Taker leaned over and took her hand. Angel jumped and then relaxed when he said she was alright and that it was just him.

"Dada..." Angel said.

"It's me, baby girl." Taker said.

"Why dark?" Angel asked.

"Baby girl..." Taker started.

"Should we tell her?" Kristy asked.

"We have to. I just need to find a way to explain it." Taker said.

"Just tell her that her eyes are resting right now because of the accident." Kristy said.

"OK. Baby girl, you were in an accident and you hit your head..." Taker started.

"Broken..." Angel whispered.

"A little bit. Your eyes are just resting right now." Taker said.

"Dad dark?" Angel asked.

"What did she just ask?" Kristy asked.

"She asked if that's why it's dark." Taker said.

"Oh." Kristy said.

"Exactly." Taker said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Adam came in. Wyatt beamed and ran to his Dad and gave him a hug. Kristy got up and gave him a hug too. Then she turned and looked at Angel and Taker.

"OK, Ang, I'm going to go home and get some rest." Kristy said.

"Dada?" Angel asked.

"I'm going to stay here with you, baby girl. Until I have to go and pick Lea up at school." Taker said.

"Sister." Angel said.

"Sister?" Wyatt asked.

"Baby sister." Angel said, trying to explain.

"Lea is at school Ang." Kristy said.

"You'll see her later, baby girl. Don't worry, alright? She's fine." Taker said.

Angel nodded. Kristy walked over and gave her best friend a hug. Wyatt ran over and Kristy lifted him up and he gave Angel a hug too. Then they left. It was then that Angel started to cry. Taker just looked at her. She had looked like she had wanted to cry for the last few minutes, but there was a sort of delay there.

"Forget." Angel said by way of explanation.

"I know, baby girl." Taker said, wrapping her in a hug.

"Sorry forget, Dada." Angel said.

"Hey. Don't be sorry, baby girl. It's not your fault." Taker said.

Angel nodded again, but Taker could tell just by looking at her that she was upset with herself over not being able to remember the simplest things. He just hugged her and sat there with her, telling her that she would be alright until she finally managed to relax.

"Dada...I broken." she said, looking worried.

"I know, baby girl. I know you are, but you'll be alright soon." Taker said.

"Hope so." Angel said.

"Baby girl, you're talking." Taker said.

"Trying hard." Angel said.

Taker nodded. He could see it in Angel's face. She was trying hard to carry on a conversation with him. Every word she said—new or not—was a struggle for her, but at the same time, Taker couldn't help but be happy that Angel was managing to speak to him.

"Baby girl...you had an accident." Taker said.

"Know, Dada." Angel said.

"Can you remember anything that happened before the accident?" Taker asked.

"Yes. Not lots." Angel said.

"Can you try and tell me what you remember?" Taker said.

"Um..." Angel started.

"Even if it's just small things, baby girl." Taker said.

"Mama...she...gone but she not gone." Angel said.

"So you remember your Mom and what happened to her when you were little?" Taker asked.

"Yep. Mama." Angel said with a nod.

"What else, baby girl?" Taker asked.

"Um...bad person make Mama go..." Angel said.

"That's true, baby girl. Can you remember anything else?" Taker said.

"Pretty lady. Not Mama. Someone else. But...forget...name" Angel said, struggling to find the right words.

"You mean your Grandma?" Taker said.

"No. Someone else. Keep me. I only little." Angel said, looking confused.

"You mean Amber." Taker said.

"Think so, Dada..." Angel said, quietly.

"It's alright, baby girl." Taker said.

"I sorry..." Angel said quietly.

"It's alright, baby girl. Really." Taker said.

Angel nodded. She leaned back into the pillows. It wasn't long before she drifted off again. Taker sighed and took her hand. He let his tears fall. He felt completely powerless as to how to help Angel. He wanted her better, but wasn't sure what exactly to do.

Suddenly, he felt someone touch his hand. He looked up and saw Beth standing there. She looked worried about him. When he looked to his other side, he saw his mother standing there. She looked just as worried as Bethany.

"I don't know what to do. I want to help her. I feel helpless." he said.

 _"Mark, don't worry. You're doing everything you can right now. All you can really do is be there for her." Leanna said._

"I know. But...how long is it going to take? She can barely speak, she doesn't remember. She can't walk and she can't see. She's so limited and it's scary." Taker said.

 _"She won't be limited forever, Mark. She's doing well already. She was carrying on a conversation with you a few minutes ago." Beth said._

 _"Granted, it was a struggle for her, but she was still managing it." Leanna said._

"I know. But what about her sight...her mobility...her memory?" Mark said.

 _"She can get the mobility and the memory back, Mark. Don't worry. It's going to take a lot of work though. I hope you're ready for it." Beth said._

"I'll do whatever I have to. I just want her to be better again." Mark said.

 _"As for her sight...well, there are ways that she can cope with that." Leanna said._

Taker nodded. Just then, Angel woke with a start. She looked around frantically and then started to cry. Beth and Leanna looked at Taker. He didn't need to be told. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Angel. She relaxed slightly.

"Baby girl, it's OK. Nothing here is going to hurt you." Taker said.

"Remember..." Angel whispered.

"What do you remember?" Taker asked.

"Hurt." Angel said.

"Who got hurt?" Taker asked.

"Me. When I small. Man do it. Hurt me and hurt lady too. Did bad stuff." Angel whispered.

"Oh, baby girl..." Taker said.

"He hurt me lots times. Where he? He come get me?" Angel asked.

"No, baby girl. He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore." Taker said.

"Good." Angel said.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Angel jumped. Taker looked and saw the doctor standing there. It was a different one then the one who had been caring for Angel since she had arrived at the hospital. What's more was he wasn't alone. Taker looked at them curiously.

"Can I help you?" Taker asked.

"Hi. You must be Mr. Calaway and this must be Angel. I'm Angel's new doctor. I'm going to be looking after her now. I'm doctor Kellon. Doctor Summers decided he needed to reduce his patient load." the man said.

"Hi." Taker said.

"This is Ms. Evans. She's our psychologist but she also works as an Occupational Therapist. She's going to be helping Angel out with her speech and memory. And she's also going to be teaching her how to use Braille. Doctor Sanders will be doing her physiotherapy." the man said.

"OK. I just have one condition for all this. Someone is to be here with Angel at all times during therapy. Understood?" Taker said.

"That's perfectly fine. If it's alright, I'd like her to start on her physiotherapy now." Doctor Kellon said.

Taker nodded. The doctor left and got a wheelchair. Taker picked Angel up out of the bed and placed her in it. She looked around, scared. She felt scared. She wasn't sure where she was going and if her Dad was going with her or not.

"It's alright, baby girl. We're going to start making you better by exercising your legs. I'll be with you. Don't worry." Taker said.

"OK, Dada..." Angel said.

He followed Doctor Sanders to the physiotherapy room, pushing Angel in the wheelchair. Then he picked her up and laid her on the table. He was nervous. They had done physiotherapy when she was in her coma, but that was sure to make sure her muscles didn't go stiff, but now Angel was awake and this would probably hurt her. They worked for about an hour. The whole time, Taker held Angel's hand and told her that she was doing fine. When they finished up, Taker set Angel back in the wheelchair and took her back to her room. When he got there, he saw Kristy, Wyatt, and Kane there. They all looked worried.

"Don't look so worried you guys. Angel had physiotherapy." Taker said.

"I fine. Sore." Angel said.

"Aunt Angel are you hurt again?" Wyatt asked.

"No, Wyatt. It happens, baby. When you start working your bones and muscles again after being hurt really badly, it does hurt more." Kristy said.

"Like when Daddy hurt his neck? Or when Uncle Bret and Grandpa Davey get hurt?" Wyatt asked looking at his Mother.

"Just like all that, baby boy. Only it hurts Aunt Angel more because her bones are still healing from her surgery." Kristy said.

Taker smiled at Kristy by way of saying thank you. He knew that Wyatt was smart for his age, but even he had a hard time understanding this. He was thankful that Kristy had a way of explaining things to him that helped him to understand better. Just then Kane, who hadn't said a word, spoke up.

"So big brother, when did she start her physiotherapy?" Kane asked.

"This afternoon. She's also going to start learning braille and start speech therapy soon too. We've got a new doctor and he thinks it will be good for her." Taker said.

Kane, Kristy and Wyatt smiled. They all liked the idea of Angel having a new doctor. The other one had been mean and had painted a bleak picture of Angel's future, which made them feel as though there was no hope for Angel after all she had been through.

"Papa Taker, do you think Angel will be able to wrestle again?" Wyatt asked.

"I don't know, Little Man. We'll have to wait and see on that. Somehow I don't think Vince will allow her to, given that she's blind and has a brain injury..." Taker said, cringing a bit as he said the last part.

"But you know what, Baby Boy? It will all be alright because Angel will still be able to be on the road with us. And who knows, she might do backstage stuff for the company. You never know what could happen." Kristy said.

She said all this before Wyatt could ask what Angel would do with herself if she couldn't wrestle for the WWE anymore. She also knew that Wyatt was scared for his Godmother and it was understandable given that all he had seen her do was wrestle.

"Uncle Taker, are you alright? You seem really worried about something." Kristy said, noticing the look on Taker's face.

"I'm just worried about Angel, Kristy. Wrestling is in her blood just like it's in yours. It's all she's ever done. You don't know what will happen if Vince doesn't let her stay in the company." Taker said.

"I think that's a bridge that we'll cross when we get to it, Uncle Taker. Don't think about it right now. We just need to hope that Angel will get better. When the time comes we'll see what happens with Vince." Kristy said.

"Kristy, I don't know what it is, but something has changed about you in the last few weeks. I don't know if it's because you're a Mom or what...but..." Kane said.

Kristy shrugged. It was true that she was a lot more calmer than usual over the last few weeks, but it was because she felt she had to be. She didn't want to be losing her temper a lot because her Uncle Taker had Angel to worry about. It would only make things worse and she knew Taker didn't need that. Right now, he needed to focus on Angel getting better.

"Right now, Uncle Taker has to focus on Angel getting better. Flipping my lid is not going to help anything." Kristy explained to him.

Kane couldn't help but nod in agreement. He looked over at Angel, who was still sitting in the wheelchair. She looked like she was in a lot of pain and in serious need of some rest. Taker picked her up and placed her in bed. Angel settled in, leaning back into the pillows. Wyatt beamed and pulled something from his pocket. He put the object in her hand. Angel's eyes widened. Then she touched the object for a few minutes as though trying to figure out what it was. Then she beamed.

"Angel?" Taker asked.

"Remember." She replied after a minute.

"You do?" Kristy asked.

"Um...gift. Bracelet. Daddy give it. After...big match win." Angel said, trying to find the right words.

"That's right, Baby girl." Taker said.

Angel nodded. She tried to open the locket, but it slipped from her hand and landed on the bed. Wyatt picked it up and handed it to Taker. He opened the locket for Angel and handed it back to her. Angel touched the picture of Beth on the right side.

"Mama..." Angel whispered.

"That's right, baby girl." Taker said.

"I wonder how many times she opened that up and looked at it..." Kane said.

"Lots." Angel answered.

She touched Amber's picture on the other side. There was a second delay, but Angel's face changed from calm to slightly angry. Everyone watched, waiting for some sort of explanation from her. They could see that she was looking for words to describe her feelings.

"Remember..." she started.

"OK, Baby girl." Taker said.

"She...do bad thing. Tell lie. Just so she have me.." Angel said, looking very upset.

A second later, she burst into tears. Taker reached out and hugged her. Now he knew what she had remembered. She remembered the fact that Amber had lied on her adoption application, not mentioning Jason at all, let alone him being an abusive drunk, just so she could have Angel. Taker waited for Angel to calm down.

"Dada...change..." she said, pointing to the picture.

"You want me to change the picture?" Taker asked.

"Yes. Change. Want Dada..." Angel said.

"OK, baby girl." Taker said, beaming.

"Did she just ask you to take Amber's picture out and put yours in there?" Kane asked.

"Yeah, she did." Taker said.

"That means Aunt Angel remembers that you and Nana Beth are her Mommy and Daddy. Right Uncle Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"That's right." Taker said.

Wyatt beamed and gave Angel a hug. After a second, she smiled. Then Kristy walked over. She pulled Angel's necklace out of her pocket and handed it over. Angel put her hand down on it, trying to remember what it was. Then she smiled again.

"Ring. Mama. Mine chain." Angel said, trying to explain.

"OK, baby girl. Hand it to me and I'll put it on for you." Taker said.

"Please." Angel said.

He took the necklace from her and undid the chain. Then he put the necklace around Angel's neck and did it up again. She beamed and gave Taker a hug. Then she looked around, obviously thinking about something.

"Dada...I...lots trouble. Sorry." Angel said.

"You're not trouble, Ang." Kristy said.

"Yeah, Aunt Angel. You're not trouble." Wyatt said.

"Feel like it." Angel said.

"It's OK to feel that way, Little Angel, but we want you to know that you're not trouble." Kane said.

"Right. You're not any trouble to us, baby girl. Promise. Now, you need to rest a bit. I've got to go and get your sister from school, OK?" Taker said.

"Lea?" Angel asked.

Everyone looked at each other with smiles. Up until this point, Angel had only referred to Lea as "baby sister" rather than by name. It was a small step forward, but at this point, small steps were about all they could hope for.

"Yeah, I'm going to go and get Lea, baby girl. I'll bring her back to visit you as always." Taker said.

"Good." Angel said with a smile.

Taker smiled and gave Angel a hug. He told the others to keep an eye on her and if she fell asleep, to just let her relax and rest since she hadn't been sleeping well. They agreed and Taker left. Kane walked over to the window and looked out.

"What's going on in that crazy head of yours?" Kristy asked.

"They have no idea..." Kane said.

"Want to explain what the hell you mean?" Kristy asked.

"The fans. The WWE Universe. They have no idea what's happened to her. All they know is that about six months ago, she disappeared and she hasn't been seen since. Vince knows and Hunter knows...and Stephanie too of course, but that's it." Kane said.

"Uncle Taker told them?" Kristy asked.

"He had to. Vince and Stephanie had the same sort of reaction. Basically take all the time you need and if you need anything, call them right away. Hunter was livid. Screaming at my brother that he didn't care how hurt Angel was, she was getting back in the ring and if she didn't she was fired." Kane said.

"Ugh, whereas if it was one of his girls, he'd be devastated." Kristy said.

Kane nodded. They waited around for Taker and Lea to come back. While they were waiting, David came in. He looked very uneasy and if Kristy didn't know any better, she could have sworn that he didn't want to be there at all. Wyatt noticed this too and he glared at his uncle.

"How...how is she?" David asked.

Kane launched into explanation, telling David about the new doctor and what he wanted to do for Angel. David looked even more uneasy as he listened to Kane speak. When Kane finished, he sighed. He walked over and gave Angel a hug. Then he pulled out a jewelry box and opened it. It was a brand new promise ring with a sapphire on it. He took it out and put it on Angel's finger. Angel hesitated and then looked down, obviously looking for her hand.

"Ring?" she asked.

"Yeah. It's a promise ring, sweetheart. Do you remember?" David asked.

Angel nodded. She knew that at one time she had a promise ring from David and that the one she had was red and this one was different. She just couldn't say it. She smiled and David gave her another hug.

"Angel, honey, I have to go back to work. But I promise I will check in every day and I want to hear that you're making progress." David said.

"Go?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, I have to go, but I promise I will come back as soon as I can, OK?" David said.

"OK." Angel said.

David hugged her one more time. Then he left the room. Angel sighed and leaned back into the pillows. She was just about to doze off to sleep when Lea came running in. Kristy and the others noticed that she was in tears. She ran to Angel's bed and climbed up. She flung her arms around Angel's neck and cried.

"What happened, Uncle Taker?" Kristy asked.

"Sienna's parents pulled her from school today. They're home schooling her now." Taker said.

"The bullying is that bad?" Kane asked.

"Yeah. The older kids...they threatened to beat her to death." Taker said.

"By older kids, you mean the ones in her class. Right?" Kristy asked.

"No. The first and second graders." Lea sobbed.

"Oh, my god. It's that bad?!" Kristy asked.

"Apparently word travelled up. Lea over heard them talking about it. She told Sienna and Sienna's parents decided to home school her." Taker said.

"Oh, well, that's OK then. Lea can still be friends with her then." Wyatt said.

"Yeah, but she won't have anyone at school. People don't like Lea either." Taker said.

"Lea home." Angel said.

"Angel?" Lea asked.

"Lea home." Angel repeated.

"You want Lea to be home schooled too?" Taker asked.

"Lea home." Angel said with a delayed nod.

Taker sighed. He wasn't entirely sure what he should do. After a few minutes, he told Lea that he would talk to Sienna's parents to try and arrange them to be home schooled at the same time. Lea nodded and then apologized for making extra trouble that Taker really didn't need.

"Don't say sorry, Lea. You're important too." Taker said.

"I know. But you need to worry about Angel, Daddy." Lea said.

"Lea, are you jealous that Angel is getting all this attention?" Wyatt asked.

"No! I am not! It's not her fault! She didn't ask to be hurt you know! She didn't ask for any of this to happen to her! She didn't ask to get all this attention thrown at her!" Lea snapped at him.

"Lea..." Angel said.

"It's true, Angel. You didn't ask for this. And you didn't deserve it either." Lea said, hugging her sister tightly.

"Lea...thank you..." Angel whispered.

"Alright, let's let Angel rest now, OK?" Taker said.

Lea nodded. She hugged her sister again and then climbed down. As usual, Lea stayed until just after dinner. Then Kane took her home so that she could have a bath and go to bed in her own bed. Angel was asleep by this point. Kristy offered to stay with Angel again, but Taker said it was alright and that he would stay. He couldn't explain it, but he felt he needed to be with her for the night and he knew that Lea was safe with his brother. After Kristy left, Taker sat down next to the bed and took Angel's hand. He was sure it was going to be a long night.


	10. A Few More Developments

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 10: A Few More Developments**

One week later, things were going pretty well. Angel was doing a lot better. She had even managed to take a few tentative steps in the last couple of days, although she needed help from her father to do it. She was learning braille quickly as well and it was a concept that fascinated Lea and Wyatt to no end. Dean and Liam had brought Angel a special board that, Angel was delighted to hear, would help her be able to draw again. The board was smooth in the middle and had rough edges. The paper used to draw was clipped to so that the edges of the paper lined up with the rough edges of the board so that Angel could tell where the edges of the paper were by using her sense of touch. So far, she had only managed to draw a few scribbles on a piece of paper because holding a pencil was difficult for her.

Kane had also brought the fact that the WWE Universe didn't know what had happened to Angel to his brother's attention. After a lot of talk, Kristy called Sarah Orton, Randy's daughter and their good friend, and asked if she would let the fans know. Sarah agreed even though she was living in a proverbial hell at the moment. The Authority had been making her life a living hell because she refused to join them. It didn't help that Randy was taken out for turning on them and therefore wasn't there to help her out at all. As a matter of fact, he was down in Houston. He had heard what had happened to Angel and made the trip from St. Louis when he was feeling better.

Sara sighed as her Dad's music played over the loud speakers. She walked out to the ring, much to the surprise of the SmackDown crowd. She had had very few matches lately and hadn't been seen much thanks to the Authority. They wondered what it was she wanted. They got their answer as she stepped into the ring and asked for a microphone. She knew that she was probably going to get booed to death for giving this news to them.

"I know that you've all noticed an absence for the last six months. The Dead Girl left six months ago. Originally, it was to unwind and relax at home for a bit because she was stressed out. Then...five months ago, she was in a car accident. She, her baby sister, and her father were on their way home from a family outing when a drunk driver ran a red light and hit them head on. Now, before you all worry and wonder, Undertaker is just fine and so is Baby Lea. Unfortunately for the Dead Girl, she was severely injured and is now rendered blind. She is recovering well, but we don't know when she'll be back in the WWE." Sara said.

As she had guessed, the fans were not pleased at all with the news that the Dead Girl was injured. They were booing like crazy. Sara sighed. She had to admit that being booed was no fun even though it wasn't her she was booing, it was what she was telling them.

"I can promise you that Angel...or the Dead Girl will be back in the WWE. It's all a matter of when." Sara said, her voice cracking a bit.

She couldn't say any more after that. She just dropped the microphone and got ready to leave the ring. She thought about Angel. Angel was one of the few people that Sara had befriended in the WWE. She could talk to Angel about anything and Angel would listen and give her advice if needed. _Not to mention the fact that her personality is so infectious. Everyone around her is affected in a good way, even if they only meet her for a few minutes._ Sara thought.

Then she thought about when Kane had completely turned his back on Angel and her father to join up with the Authority. Angel had stood up to him and not even blinked an eye. Some people would have called that stupidity, but not Sara. As far as she was concerned, Angel had been courageous, standing up to Kane like that. She also knew that Kane, Undertaker, and Angel herself were all sure fire Hall of Famers.

Sara was snapped out of her thoughts when Alicia Fox blindsided her. She had been about to leave the ring when Alicia hit her from behind. Sara knew exactly why this was happening. She had been doing her best to make the Authority's lives hard ever since they had taken out her father. She had even refused to join them. As far as she was concerned, she wanted to make her way in WWE without joining the dictators that she knew the Authority were. She was determined to do things the right way and not have things handed to her. It didn't take long for Sara to get the upper hand over Alicia. Sara put her down with an RKO.

Back at the hospital, Angel was grinning from ear to ear. She hadn't seen a thing, but she had heard every word of what Sara had said and had a general idea of what had happened from the voices of the commentators. Wyatt noticed Angel's smile and looked at her curiously.

"Aunt Angel, you're smiling! But...you didn't see anything that happened just now." he said.

"No...didn't see...but ears work just fine." Angel said.

"Oh...so...you could tell what was happening just by listening even though you couldn't see it?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes." Angel answered.

"How come?" Wyatt asked, looking confused.

"Well, Little Man, when someone loses one of their five senses, the remaining ones get better to make up for it." Taker said.

"Oh..." Wyatt said.

Just then, the phone in the room rang. Taker jumped. It wasn't very often that someone called into Angel's room. Taker reached over and picked it up. It was Davey, who was at home with David in Calgary resting after a lengthy stint in Japan.

"Davey? Is everything alright? You sound panicked." Taker said.

 _"Diana and David just got into a huge fight. Diana told David that he had to find himself a new girlfriend because Angel was no good to him now. David said no and that he wouldn't leave Angel for anything and that he'd already messed up once with her because he let Diana come in between them and there was no way in hell that he was going to let that happen again." Davey explained._

"And?" Taker said.

 _"Diana stormed out of the house saying that she'd take care of it herself. I don't know what she's going to do, but she may be headed your way. Keep Angel as close to you as you can as much as you can." Davey said._

"Right. Thanks for the heads up." Taker said.

He hung up the phone and turned to the others. They all looked worried about what Taker had said. They weren't sure what exactly was going on. They knew it couldn't be a good thing given that Taker looked very concerned. He hesitated before speaking.

"That was Davey. David and Diana got into a huge fight about David being with Angel. Diana said that David shouldn't be with her now because she was no good to him. David said that he had already messed up once by letting Diana come between him and Angel and he wasn't going to let it happen again. Diana stormed from the house, saying she'd take care of it herself." Taker said.

"Oh, my god." Randy said.

"I don't want to take any chances on this. Kristy, go to the nurse's station for me would you? Can you give them a description of your mother and tell the nurse that if she comes in and asks for Angel to call security?" Taker said.

"Sure." Kristy said, leaving the room.

"Little Brother, Randy. Can I ask you two to stay outside the door in case she does manage to get past the nurse's station?" Taker said.

"Can do." Randy said.

"No problem, Big Brother." Kane said.

"Bret, can you go and find the security office?" Taker said.

"What do I say?" Bret said.

"Tell that if the nurse calls them because Diana shows up, they are to immediately call the cops. No questions." Taker said.

"Done." Bret said, leaving the room.

"Papa Taker...I'm scared...I don't want Diana to hurt Angel. I know she will if she can." Wyatt said, looking at Angel worriedly.

"Don't worry, Bubby. We're all going to do what we can to make sure Diana doesn't get to her." Adam said.

"Daddy won't let anything else happen to Angel, Wyatt. Don't worry." Lea said.

"Diana won't get into this room, Wyatt. Your Mother and everyone else won't let her touch this door." Adam said.

"Do you really think Diana will come all the way to Houston?" Randy asked.

"I wouldn't put it past her." Taker and Owen said at the same time.

Just then, Kristy came back. At about the same time, Bret reappeared too. Neither one looked very happy as they looked at Angel. She looked worried and scared. It seemed as though she had understood what it was that was going on. Everyone was thankful that her understanding was still intact even if other things weren't exactly all there.

"Why are you looking at Angel like you're mad at her? She didn't do anything!" Lea said.

"We aren't mad at her, LeLe." Kristy said.

"It's Diana we're mad at." Bret said.

"Because she wants to hurt Angel?" Lea asked.

"And she wants to hurt David too. And if she can hurt both at once, then she will." Bret said.

"But...I thought Moms were supposed to love and care about their children. I mean, Mommy loves me. And when I was at school it seemed like all the Moms loved their children too. I don't understand..." Wyatt said.

"Diana's not a Mom, baby. She never has been. Not to me, not to anyone. She's a horrible person who only thinks about herself and no one else." Kristy said.

"She wasn't always that way. It started when your Mom was born..." Bret said softly.

"How come?" Wyatt asked.

"Diana didn't want your Mom." Taker said, anger creeping slowly into his voice.

"What? Why not?" Wyatt asked.

"Because she was happy with your Uncle David and Aunt Georgia. She didn't think that she and Grandpa Davey needed any more children." Bret explained.

"OK, but why did she have Mommy?" Wyatt asked.

"Because Grandpa Davey wanted another baby. One that would be just like him. She's more like me then him, but don't tell him that." Owen said.

"So...Diana used to care about people and...she had Mommy to try and make Grandpa Davey happy. But...she wasn't happy." Wyatt said.

"Well, for the first month, she did great. She took care of your Mommy and attended to her every need. Then one night while she was giving your Mommy a bath, the phone rang. Diana decided that talking on the phone was more important than looking after your Mommy. She left her in the bath alone. She was there for almost an hour before Grandpa Davey found her. Luckily, he got her to the hospital just in time...but your Mommy was really sick..." Taker said.

"Is that why Mom is deaf?" Wyatt asked.

"We're not a hundred percent sure, Little Guy, but we think so. They didn't figure out that your Mommy was deaf until she was about a year old. Diana and Grandpa Davey took her to a specialist to find out what they could do for your Mommy. Diana wanted tests done to find out what had happened, but Grandpa Davey wouldn't allow it. He figured that your Mommy was going through enough without being pinched, prodded and poked by strangers. Diana also wanted your Mommy to have surgery to fix it and Grandpa Davey said absolutely not." Bret said.

"Because he didn't want Mom to be hurt any more then she already was." Wyatt said.

"Right. But from the moment they brought her home from the specialist, Diana's done her best to make your Mom's life hard. And the fact that your Uncle David is supporting your Mommy makes her angry." Nattie said.

"And she doesn't like Aunt Angel either? How come?" Wyatt asked.

"We don't know why, Little Man." Bret said.

"All we know is that for whatever reason, Diana thinks Aunt Angel isn't worthy of being with your Uncle David." Owen said.

"And now that she's different like Mom is, she would think that Angel is...even more not worthy?" Wyatt asked.

"That would be it." Bret said.

"But...why does it even matter? Mom and Aunt Angel are both great people! It doesn't matter if they're a bit...broken on the inside!" Wyatt said.

"She thinks everyone should be like her. Perfect." Taker said.

"She's mean! She's not perfect at all. I don't even like calling her Grandma when I'm around her, but she makes me." Wyatt said.

"She does?" Taker asked.

"She makes me call her Grandma Diana. And she gets mad if I don't. It's why she hurt me that one time when we were visiting. I called her Diana instead of Grandma Diana and she got all angry..." Wyatt said, looking very upset.

"She is never going to touch you again." Kristy said.

"Daddy...I...really scared..." Angel said quietly.

"It'll be alright, baby girl. She won't get in here." Taker said.

"I don't think it's that, Taker. I think she's worried that if Diana does get past all of us by some miracle, Angel won't be able to do anything. She can't see anything coming and her powers are dormant at the moment." Owen said.

"Owen right." Angel answered, tears starting to roll down her face.

"Oh, Angel. It's alright." Kristy said.

"Why does Diana have to come along and wreck things? We don't need this at the moment." Kane said.

"Do you honestly think my Mom gives a damn about everything that's happened or what condition Angel is in?" Kristy asked.

"That's obviously a no, Little Kristy. All she cares about is that her son is with someone who—in her eyes at least—isn't worthy of him." Kane said.

"You should have heard her when Angel was in her coma." Bret said.

"You actually told her?!" Kristy asked.

"Not on purpose. She overheard me telling Mom and Dad. They asked how Angel was doing. They always do. So I told them." Bret said.

"What did she say?" Kane asked.

"I probably shouldn't. Kristy looks like she wants to punch me." Bret said.

"I don't want to punch you. I want to punch my mother as hard as I can as many times as I can." Kristy said.

"I don't know if I should add to it." Bret said.

"Bret, what did she say?" Taker asked.

"She said that it was good and that she should be in a coma." Bret said.

"WHAT?!" Lea and Wyatt yelled.

"And she told David that once Angel died, he could find a better girlfriend." Bret said.

Angel burst into tears at this statement. Taker reached out and hugged her. She buried her head in his chest and just cried. Kristy didn't say anything. She just walked out of the room without a word. After a few minutes, she came back. She had cut up knuckles and was holding her right hand in her left.

"Kristy, what did you do?" Bret asked.

"I walked outside...and I punched the wall." Kristy said, sounding surprisingly calm.

"Krissy, honey, honestly you shouldn't do stuff like that." Owen said.

"I know. But I didn't want to start yelling and scare Angel even more. She's afraid enough right now." Kristy said.

"Well, that's a good thing." Taker said.

"I wish Aunt Angel was at home! She'd be safer there!" Wyatt said.

"Not necessarily, Little Man." Owen said.

"That woman would still try to get her, Little Man. Even if she was at home." Kristy said.

Taker sighed as he continued to hug Angel. Nothing he said or did would calm her down. He wasn't sure what he should do or why exactly she was crying. He knew that she was scared of Diana coming to get her, but he wondered if something else was going on. He decided to just deal with one thing at a time. Everyone just looked at him. They all felt worried.

"Baby girl, it's OK. Everything is going to be OK. No one is going to hurt you." Taker said.

"We won't let her hurt you Angel. No way, no how! I won't let her. Diana will be lucky if Randy and Kane don't kill her." Kristy said.

"And the only way she'll even get that far is if she manages to get past the nurses...and security. Which is doubtful. Diana's not exactly smart." Owen said.

"Says the man who almost flunked history." Kristy said, giggling.

"Kristy..." Owen said.

"Anyway, Aunt Angel. It'll be OK. She won't get in here. Don't be scared." Wyatt said.

"Want home." Angel whispered.

"Ang..." Kristy said.

"We can't go home yet, baby girl." Taker said.

"Before you go home, you've got to spend a bit of time in a rehabilitation hospital. Hopefully, you'll be getting to go there soon." Bret said.

"No! Want home!" Angel said again.

"I know, Angel. I know you want to go home, but we have to make you better first. And this hospital can only do so much for you." Taker said.

"Wait...are you putting my sister in one of those places that her first doctor said she should go in?" Lea asked, panicking.

"No, LeLe. The place that Angel is going to helps to make people who have been hurt like she has better. She'll get to come home when they think she's ready." Kristy said.

"But she is ready!" Lea said.

"LeLe, listen to me. Remember the story that I told you about my Dad and the special place where angels helped him to learn to walk after he got hurt?" Kristy asked.

"Yeah. You said that he had hurt his back, but he went to a special place where angels helped him walk again." Lea remembered.

"Well, that's the same place that Angel is going. Where angels can help her. Good angels, not bad ones." Kristy said.

"Not go place! Go home!" Angel said, looking at the spot where Kristy's voice had come from.

"Well, at least we know one thing that hasn't changed through all this. She's still as stubborn as ever and it's going to take a lot to convince her that this is for her own good." Owen said.

"Angel come on. It won't be that bad. Uncle Taker and all of us will be there with you." Kristy said.

"We can stay with her? All the time?" Lea and Wyatt asked in stereo.

"Well, through the day. We'd have to go home at night." Adam said.

"No! Not going! Not be by self!" Angel said.

"Daddy, you're a dummy!" Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, don't call your father a dummy. Angel, don't worry. One of us will be with you at all times. You won't be alone." Taker said.

"Sorry, Daddy. Sorry, Mommy. It's just...I think Aunt Angel is scared we're going to drop her off at this place and just leave..." Wyatt said.

"Oh, Angel. That's not going to happen. We're not just going to leave you there. Someone will be with you all the time. We'll all be with you during the day and one of us will be there at night. Don't worry." Bret said.

"It will probably be Mommy or Papa Taker." Wyatt said.

"Or Kane, Bret or I." Owen said.

"Not leave?" Angel asked.

"No way. We're not leaving you now." Bret said.

"You don't leave someone when they really need you, Angel. You taught me that." Lea said.

"OK." Angel said with a nod.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Taker looked up and was shocked to see Chad there. He was the police officer who was investigating Lexie's case. He was also the Uncle of Angel and Kristy's childhood friend Alex. He had been working night and day to work out the evidence and present the case to the District Attorney so it could go to trial.

"Hey, Uncle Chad. What's up?" Kristy asked.

"We've got a bit of a problem. We...sort of need Angel to make a statement about that night." Chad said.

"She can't do that! She doesn't even remember it! Was Lea's statement not enough?" Taker snapped.

"Taker relax. We just need her to tell us what she can remember, if anything. If she can't, Kristy can do it and I'll just tell them that Angel wasn't well enough and Kristy—who has a bit of knowledge of what happened—spoke on her behalf." Chad said.

"Alright, fine. You can take her statement, but I don't think you're going to get much." Taker said.

Chad nodded. He walked over to Angel and knelt down. He touched Angel's shoulder and said hello to her. She jumped and looked around, staring at the spot where Chad's voice had come from. She started shaking and hugged Taker even tighter.

"It's alright, baby girl. I know you might not remember, but Chad was your friend back when you were younger." Taker said.

"Alex..." Angel whispered.

"That's right, Angel. Alex was my nephew sweetheart. I'm a police officer and I need your help if you can OK?" Chad said.

"Remember...Alex gone. Bad man hurt me and hurt him too. Take him away." Angel said.

"I know, Angel. You're right. But right now, I need you concentrate as hard as you can. OK?" Chad said.

"I...try." Angel said.

"OK. Do you know what happened to get you here?" Chad asked.

"Bad accident." Angel said.

"Right. Now, I need you to concentrate really hard and tell me anything at all that you can remember from that accident. Even if it's just a small thing." Chad said.

"Um...there...car...bright light...Daddy scream...music...Kristy's favourite song..." Angel said.

"Is that all?" Chad asked.

"I...see lady...the light make it so I see her. Then...on ground..hear her leave. Try...to get to Daddy...Lea too...but..not make it." Angel said.

"Angel? Are you telling me you managed to crawl back toward the car?" Taker asked.

"I...not make it. Not sure how..." Angel whispered.

"So where you ended up wasn't where you started from?" Kristy asked, surprised.

"Not sure how..." Angel whispered, tears rolling down her face again.

"It's alright, Angel. Can you think of anything else? Do you remember what the lady that you saw looked like?" Chad said.

"She short like Kristy...have sunshine hair." Angel said.

"Anything else, Angel?" Chad said.

"I...not sure..." Angel said, looking upset.

"Angel, anything else will help." Chad said.

"Not...sure..." Angel said again, looking even more agitated and upset.

"Stop! She's getting upset! Leave her alone!" Lea snapped at him.

"Here, Chad. This should help." Kristy said.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She went into her photos and showed Chad two photos. One was of Lexie herself on the night of the accident and the other was a picture of Lexie's banged up car, which was still parked outside the hospital.

"I snapped the one when she was in here. Then I snapped a picture of her car a little while ago. It's still sitting out there. No one really wants to touch it in case they compromise something." Kristy said.

"Kristy, that's great. I'll need copies of both of these pictures, so I'll need to take your phone for a day or two. Is that alright?" Chad asked.

"Take it. It's fine." Kristy said, handing the phone over.

Chad got up and said goodbye to them all. Then he left the room. Lea glared at his back as he went. Everyone was startled by how angry the little girl looked. They hadn't seen her like that before.

"Lea?" Taker asked.

"I know he's trying to help, but I don't like him!" Lea answered.

"LeLe, Uncle Chad didn't mean to hurt Angel. He's a good man. He saved both Mommy and Aunt Angel." Wyatt said.

"He did not!" Lea said.

"Yes, LeLe. He did. A long time ago. He did." Wyatt asked.

"How?" Lea said, looking at Kristy skeptically.

"When Angel and I were in Junior high. Not long after Alex died." Kristy said.

"What did he do?" Lea asked, curious now.

"Kristy fight with bad man because me. Bad man hurt Kristy. Uncle Chad come." Angel said.

"I remember that day. I know what she's talking about." Owen said.

"Aunt Angel, do you remember what happened?" Wyatt asked.

"No. Just remember that bad man hurt me. Kristy fight with him. Uncle Chad show up..." Angel said.

"What is she talking about?" Lea asked.

"Jason hurt Kristy one afternoon. She went to check on Angel and you because Angel hadn't shown up for school that day. Chad was sitting outside the house watching because Kristy had called him and asked him to come over in case she needed him because I wasn't home and Bret was at Hart House. Jason used a belt on Kristy and knocked her out with a bat. Chad heard you screaming at the top of your lungs and ran inside. He found both Kristy and Angel knocked out on the floor and you were in your crib screaming." Owen said.

"If it wasn't for Chad, Angel and I wouldn't be here. And I don't think you would either. Chad told me that when he went up to your room, he found you screaming in your crib and Jason standing over you, bat at the ready. He took Jason into custody, but they had to let him go because Ang refused to talk about what happened. That's how scared she was of him." Kristy said.

"So he really did save you and Angel, huh, Kristy?" Lea said.

"And you too, Lea." Wyatt said.

"And me too, I guess. OK. OK. But he still made Angel all upset." Lea said.

"He was just trying to do his job, Lea. I don't think he meant to make Angel upset." Bret said.

"That doesn't mean I like him. Even if he did save Angel and Kristy and me." Lea said.

Everyone laughed at that. Taker stared down at Angel. She was still wide awake, but she wasn't saying a lot. From the look on her face, Taker could see that she was thinking about something. She had relaxed a lot, that was for sure.

"Daddy..." Angel said.

"What is it, baby girl?" Taker asked.

"When go special place? I want angels help me better." Angel said.

"That's up to Doctor Kellon, sweetheart. I hope it will be soon though." Taker said.

"He should let us know in a few days." Adam said.

Angel nodded. Just then, the phone rang again. It was Davey again. This time, he was calling to say that Diana was indeed in Houston and she was headed for the hospital. Taker reassured him that they were ready for her and that she wouldn't get too far once she got there. He hung up the phone and turned to everyone.

"Kane, Randy, get outside the door and close it behind you. She's in Houston and she's on route now. Davey just got a call from her. She was calling from the airport." Taker said.

"Daddy..." Angel whispered, starting to shake again.

"It's OK, baby girl. I've got you and with any luck, she won't make it in here." Taker said.

"I've never seen Aunt Angel this scared before. And I've never seen her hug Papa Taker this long." Wyatt said.  
"Diana is like a banshee, Wyatt, remember that." Adam said.

"OK." Wyatt said.

Everyone waited to see what would happen. After about twenty minutes, Kane and Randy came back in. Apparently, the head of security had come to the door to tell Randy and Kane that Diana hadn't even made it past the front desk because a security guard was sitting in the security office and saw Diana walk in on the security camera. He had radioed a fellow security guard who had stopped Diana from coming upstairs and had called the police. Everyone sighed in relief. Taker quickly phoned Davey back and thanked him for giving them some warning.

After he hung up the phone, he looked down at Angel. She was sound asleep and smiling. Taker smiled and leaned her back into the pillows. A few hours after that, everyone left and this time, Bret stayed with Angel so that Taker could go home, spend time with Lea and get some proper rest. It had been a long night for everyone.


	11. Presents & Powers

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 11: Presents & Powers**

Two weeks later, Angel was getting better. She was happy and cheery especially since David had come down from Calgary. He refused to be there after his Mother had tried to go after Angel. He also decided that he was going to protect Angel the next time rather than just staying home. Angel herself was doing well enough that Doctor Kellon had put the wheels in motion for her to be transferred to Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital. The best part was that she wouldn't even have to leave the city since it was in Northeast Houston. Angel was nervous and anxious about the idea even though she knew that Taker would be with her as much as he could and so would everyone else. Her problem was that it meant more doctors and nurses and strangers who would be pinching, poking and prodding her even more until she got well enough to go home.

Taker was sitting next her, telling her that he had gone to the closest Kindred Hospital to their home and had toured it. It was a great facility and the people there were very nice. He had even taken Lea with him so that she wouldn't be scared about Angel going to a strange place. Every time they saw a doctor, Lea would ask if that was one of the angels that was going to make her sister better. It was then that Taker understood what Kristy had meant when she had told Lea two weeks ago that the place Angel was going that had good angels that would make her better. He answered yes every time and by the time they left, Lea was excited for Angel to come to the hospital.

"Daddy...you sure?" Angel said.

"I'm sure, sweetheart. I took Lea with me when I went and she's excited for you to go there now. She wants you better and so does everyone else." Taker said.

"You too?" Angel asked.

"Of course me too, baby girl." Taker said.

"Daddy...I try it. Want get better too." Angel said.

Taker nodded. He would have to tell Doctor Kellon when he came back to check on Angel in a few hours. Angel sighed and went back to her drawing. She was getting better with a pencil now and could do a bit more than just lines and scribbles. She was determined to learn to draw again. Just then, Kristy and the others came in. They had a mountain of presents with them. Taker teared up as he looked. They were all the Christmas presents that Angel hadn't had the chance to open. The only problem was that there wasn't one from Taker there. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to get Angel anything or that he didn't try to. He would go out buy presents for Lea and remember to get something for Angel, but as soon as he tried to, he would get emotional and not be able to. He wasn't sure what to do exactly. Then he got an idea. He kissed Angel and told her that he would be back soon. Then he stood up and left the room. David walked over and sat where Taker had been sitting. He took Angel's hand and she jumped.

"Hey, sweetheart." David said.

"David. Love you." Angel said.

"I love you too, sweetheart." David said, wrapping her in a hug.

She always said his name and told him that she loved him whenever he came around rather than saying hi. And her eyes always lit up when she said it. Kristy, Adam and Kane put all the presents on the table in front of Angel. She wasn't sure what was going on. She looked around for an answer.

"It's OK, Little Angel. We all talked and figured that it was about time you had your Christmas even though it's a bit late." Kane said.

"Get things?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, everyone still got you things even though you weren't with us. Except for Daddy. Daddy tried to get you something, but couldn't. Every time he tried, he got upset." Lea said.

Angel nodded. Then she told them that she wasn't opening anything till her Dad got back. They all agreed. They waited around for what seemed like a long time, but finally Taker came back. Everyone noticed that he was holding a small puppy in his arms. It was brown with a white chest and belly and white paws. There was a white line going up its face too. It looked like it was about six weeks old and it was squirming in Taker's arms. He walked over and placed the puppy on Angel's bed. Angel screamed at first when she felt something moving on the bed. The puppy walked up to Angel and started to lick her face. Then it barked.

"Dog?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, it's a dog, baby girl." Taker said.

"Mine?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. I'm going to work on getting him certified to be a therapy dog for you." Taker said.

"Thank you, Daddy." Angel said

"You're welcome, Baby Girl." Taker said.

"How did you sneak him in here, Papa Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"I didn't have to sneak him in. I asked Doctor Kellon if I could bring him in here." Taker said.

"Oh wow." Wyatt said.

"He need name. I name him Oz...call him Ozzie." Angel said.

"Daddy, what does a therapy dog do?" Lea asked.

"Well, they can do all sorts of different things for different people. In Angel's case he'll be an Animal Assisted Therapy dog. He'll basically help to encourage her and make her feel less anxious. But we need to get him certified and housebroken and all that stuff first." Taker said.

"Can he be a pet too, Daddy?" Lea asked.

"When he's not working with Angel, he'll be a pet, so don't worry, Lea." Taker said.

"Lea is jealous." Wyatt teased.

"I am not jealous, Wyatt. Angel didn't ask for this! She didn't deserve it!" Lea said.

"Take it easy, Lea." Taker said.

"Why does Wyatt think I'm jealous of Angel? I'm not. Angel didn't ask for a dog or for all this attention! She didn't ask to get hurt Daddy. And...if anything, all this attention and everything she is getting right now is showing that we care about her very much." Lea explained.

"I'm sorry, Lea." Wyatt said, hugging his friend.

Lea hugged him back. Angel grinned. She knew what was happening even though she couldn't see it. She was glad that Lea felt that way. The last thing she wanted was for Lea to feel left out or to feel jealous of her because of what had happened. Everyone watched as Ozzie walked down to the end of the bed and curled up. He went to sleep. Angel got started on opening up the presents. There was art stuff, new jeans, new tank tops, her charm bracelet that Taker had given her, now with her father's picture inside instead of Amber's. She even got a new dress, dress shoes, a new pair of sneakers, and some dressy clothes. When she got to the last present, she opened it and stuck her hands in. After a minute or two, she stopped. Then she looked around. She looked at her Daddy, determination in her eyes.

"Angel? What is it?" Taker asked.

"WWE." Angel whispered.

"Whose bright idea was it to get her ring gear?" Taker growled.

"In my defence, I bought it before all this happened, big brother." Kane said.

"Oh...OK then." Taker said, relaxing.

"Not worry, Uncle. I get back to WWE! I wear someday." Angel told him, looking determined as ever.

"Kane..." Kristy said.

"I screwed up. I know. Geez. Rub it in, why don't you?"

"No, Kane. You didn't screw up. I think you may have given Angel just what she needs to get better." Kristy said.

"How do you figure?" Kane asked.

"Well...one thing first...Angel, do you remember being in the WWE before all this happened?"

Angel nodded. Most of her memories had returned now except for about the last twenty four hours or so before the accident actually happened. She remembered being a WWE Diva and how much fun it was and how much she had loved it. She figured she had lost that, but now she was hell bent and determined to get back in the ring so that she would be back where she fit in. Not to mention, she wanted to wear the ring gear that her Uncle had given her to make sure it didn't go to waste.

"I...in WWE with everyone. I work really hard. And I going back there!" Angel said.

"But Aunt Angel, you can't see! It's too dangerous." Wyatt said.

"No, Wyatt. I get back there! Kristy do it and she not hear! I do it too!" Angel said, looking determined.

"See, Kane? Now she's got a reason to get better. Whereas before, she probably didn't feel as though she had much to hang on for. Besides, at least in the WWE she won't be a black mark on society." Kristy said.

Angel nodded. Kane grinned and gave Angel a hug. Angel hugged him back and thanked him. He smiled. Meanwhile, Taker was grinning in spite of himself. Part of him didn't want her to get back into the ring for safety reasons, but he also knew that it was in her blood because of him and if there was a way to get back in the ring, she'd figure it out.

Just then, the phone in the room rang. Taker sighed and reached over and picked it up. He got a huge shock when he heard Triple H's voice on the other end. He rolled his eyes, figuring that he was calling to ask about a return date for him or a Wrestlemania match or a return date for Angel.

"Look, Hunter, my daughter is hurt. And I mean, really hurt so if you called to ask for a return date for her or a Wrestlemania appearance for me, you can forget it right now! Right now Angel and the rest of my family are my priority. Not being in the ring, even if it is at Mania." Taker snapped

 _"Deadman, take it easy. I called to say sorry. I jumped the gun a bit. But I've talked it over with Vince...and Steph kind of yelled at me. She told me to stop and think about what it would be like if it was one of our children. It made me realize that you're probably stressed with all this going on." Triple H said._

"Well, in that case, I accept your apology." Taker said.

 _"And I've thought a lot about it…don't worry about Angel's medical expenses. It'll be on the company's dime." Triple H said._

"Hold on, are you sure about this? Did you clear it with Vince?" Taker asked.

 _"No, but you're one of the biggest stars in this company and Angel has earned her keep, so don't worry about it." Triple H said._

"I don't know about this, Trips…." Taker said.

 _"Listen, Taker, Vince has done some extravagant things to help his Legends before. Now it's my turn. As for return dates, you call me you want to come back, however long it takes. We'll bend over backwards to accommodate." Triple H said._

"I….just….I don't know what to say…um…" Taker said, tearing up.

 _"No need to say anything, Deadman. We'll talk soon. Bye." Triple H said, disconnecting the call._

Taker hung up the phone, still feeling a bit stunned. Everyone looked at him questioningly. Kane was the one who spoke first.

"Who was that, Big Brother?" Kane asked.

"Hunter." Taker said.

"What the fuck did Big Nose want with us now? Wanting to know when you and Angel are coming back so he can put you both through hell again?!" Kristy said, trying not to explode.

"Kristy stop." Angel said, "Daddy talk."

"Triple H wanted to let me know that the WWE is funding any and all medical expenses for Angel. They do support their legends after all." Taker said.

"But….Angel's not a Legend, Papa Taker." Wyatt said.

"Not me. Daddy." Angel told him.

"Papa Taker's a legend? What does that mean?" Wyatt asked.

"A legend is someone who has been in the WWE for a long time and is popular with the fans." David explained.

"Like Uncle Bret?" Wyatt asked.

"Well…" Kristy said.

"Grandpa?" Wyatt asked.

"Um…" Bret said.

"Let's put it this way, Wyatt. Daddy has been in the WWE for a long time—he's kind of old—and WWE want to thank him by looking after Angel." Lea said.

"Hey! Less of the old, Little One." Taker said.

"She's got a point, Big Brother." Kane said.

"Hey! Daddy not old!" Angel said.

"Oh….I think I understand. Is Papa Taker a legend because he works hard or because of the fans?" Wyatt asked.

"Both. The reason the fans love me is because I work hard." Taker said.

"Oh. Do you think Aunt Angel will be a legend too?" Wyatt asked.

"I think she's going to try her best." Taker said.

Angel nodded. She would do her best once she got back in the ring. First thing was first though. She had to get back the ability to walk and talk properly and that could take a while depending on how hard she worked.

"Daddy…..I not feel like self." Angel said.

"What do you mean, Baby Girl? Do you feel sick?" Taker asked, looking concerned.

"No. Not sick. Something…..gone. Something that there not there now." Angel tried to explain.

Taker nodded. He was sure that he knew what Angel meant. Her powers had yet to make a return since she had come to. Everyone else seemed to understand too, but they weren't sure what to say to Angel or how to explain it. They were spared this by Doctor Kellon coming into the room. He checked Angel over and then Taker told him that Angel wanted to move on to Kindred Hospital as soon as she could. He smiled and said he would get things going and she would be there by the end of the week. Then he left. Angel sighed and stretched in bed. Then she asked for her special drawing board. Taker set it up for her and Angel began to draw. Lea and Wyatt watched, fascinated. They were learning all sorts of new things through all of this.

"What are you drawing, Ang?" Kristy asked.

"You see." Angel said, not looking up from her paper.

It seemed to take a while, but when Angel stopped drawing, Taker's eyes widened in total amazement. Then he teared up. He leaned over and hugged his daughter. Before anyone could ask what was happening, Taker took the paper and held it up for everyone to see. Everyone's jaw dropped. She had drawn Taker and it was just as good as it would have been had she been able to see.

"How….?" Bret asked.

"Still remember." Angel told him.

"You still remember what I look like?" Taker asked.

"Yes." Angel said, yawning.

"Why don't you rest for a bit, Little Angel. We'll be here when you wake up." Kane said.

Angel nodded. She closed her eyes and within a few minutes, she was sound asleep.

 _When Angel opened her eyes again, she was back in the house in Houston. What was more was that she could see perfectly. She looked around her, feeling confused._

 _"Is anyone here?" she called out._

 _Just as she finished speaking, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw her Mom. Angel ran to her, bursting into tears and finally letting all of her pent up emotions that she was unable to express out. Bethany just hugged her daughter and stroked her hair, looking concerned._

 _"It's so hard, Mom." Angel said before Beth could actually say anything._

 _"I know, Angel Baby. I know it's not easy for you right now, but it will get better. I promise." Beth said._

 _"But what am I supposed to do? How do I deal with losing my sight? How do I deal with communicating? It's all so….difficult and confusing. I mean—and I just thought of this—I'm never even going to be able to see my own children, Mom." Angel said, fresh tears running down her face._

 _"Angel Baby, you can do whatever you put your mind to, blindness or not. You're only as disabled as you let yourself be. As for communication, mobility and everything else, that will all come with time and a lot of effort on your part." Beth said._

 _"Just remember, my precious granddaughter, you don't have to do any of this alone." Leanna said._

 _She walked down the stairs as she spoke. Angel beamed from ear to ear and ran to her, giving her a hug. Somehow, her Grandmother had known how she had felt and had put it into words when she couldn't, just like Taker did._

 _"Mom, I told Daddy that something was missing, but I couldn't tell him. It's my powers. Where did they go? What happened to them? Are they gone?" Angel said._

 _"No, Angel Baby. They aren't gone." Beth said._

 _She extended her hand and Angel took it and closed her eyes. A second later, Beth told her to open them. When she did, she was outside of the power shrine. As usual, the Druids stood guard all around the place. Angel followed Beth to the door. Beth placed her hand on the door and it opened. As soon as they were inside, the door closed. Angel immediately looked to the wall where the symbols of her Dad, Uncle, Baby Sister, and Angel herself were. Three of them were glowing brightly and Angel's was extremely faint, almost as if she was close to death. Angel gasped. She had no idea what had happened, but she hoped it was fixable._

 _"Come this way, Angel Baby." Beth said, walking behind the throne that sat in the room._

 _Angel followed. Two Druids were standing in front of the door. Beth nodded and they moved aside. Bethany opened the door. Angel stepped in and followed behind her mother. Torches lit up as they walked. When they got to the end of the room, Angel gasped. Her Dead Girl side was encased in a crystal and looked like she was in a permanent sleep._

 _"I don't understand….what happened? Did I do something wrong?" Angel asked._

 _"No, Angel Baby. You did nothing wrong." Beth said._

 _"You might not remember, but when you had the accident, you were thrown from the car. As soon as that happened, your powers kicked in because you wanted to get back to the car and make sure Lea and Mark were alright. You didn't make it, obviously, but when you went into your coma, your powers went dormant and your Dead Girl side collapsed over here. We did this so she'd be safe in case something happened here." Leanna said._

 _"So…where the paramedics found me wasn't where I started out?" Angel asked._

 _"No, it wasn't. Your thought process was "Get to Daddy and Baby Lea and make sure they're OK", she could sense that and because of that, your powers kicked in." Beth said._

 _"Can we fix it?" Angel asked._

 _"Yes, but it's your choice, my precious granddaughter." Leanna said._

 _"I want my powers. I...well, this is going to sound downright odd, but even though my powers seem to get me into a lot of trouble at times, I'm…not myself without them." Angel said._

 _Beth and Leanna nodded. The Druids broke the crystal open. Angel watched as her Dead Girl side stood up. She opened her eyes and stared at Angel._

 _"Ah, I see you are better again." She said._

 _"Not quite, but I'm getting there." Angel said._

 _"Now before we do this, you two need to realize something. This isn't going to give Angel everything she had before. It won't heal her mobility, memory or eyesight, but it will help." Leanna said._

 _"I know, Grandma. My powers can fix a lot of things, but this isn't one of them. Daddy can't even fix this." Angel said._

 _"Yes, Mistress Leanna, I know I can't fix Angel, but I can at least help her cope with this situation." She answered._

 _Leanna nodded. Angel walked over and took her Dead Girl side's hands. Both of them closed their eyes. A wind whipped through the room. When Angel opened her eyes, her Dead Girl side was gone and light surrounded her. Just then, she heard Wyatt's panicked voice._

 _"Aunt Angel! What's wrong with you? Wake up!" he said._

 _"Uh-oh. Looks like I have to go. Wyatt's worried." Angel said._

 _Leanna and Beth looked at each other with grins. Angel sighed and closed her eyes._

Angel opened her eyes again and looked around. She was back in the hospital. She had a feeling that everyone was concerned about her. Suddenly, Kristy spoke up.

"I feel….different…" she said.

"So do I. Something just changed. I can't quite figure it out…" David said.

"What happened to you, Aunt Angel? Is everything OK? You were all glowing and shiny for a second." Wyatt said.

"Not…worry. I….just…got missing thing back…" Angel said.

"Missing thing?" Wyatt asked.

"Yeah. Missing thing." Angel said, looking lost in thought.

"Wait…Baby Girl, was it your powers? Was that the thing you were missing that made you not feel like yourself?" Taker asked.

"Yeah. But…got back now. Mama and Grandma help." Angel said.

"That's why Kristy and David feel different then." Kane said.

"What happened?" David asked.

"Six months ago when Angel had the accident, she used her powers at some point. She completely exhausted them. Then she went into her coma. Her powers went dormant and because of it, your Guardian powers did the same because they weren't needed anymore. Now that Angel has her powers back, so do you two." Kane said.

"How do you know all this, Kane?" Kristy said.

"I sensed it when I went to see Angel the first time. Something had changed with her." Kane said.

"But what was she doing that caused her to exhaust her powers so much that she'd make that happen?" David asked.

"She must have used her powers for something. And her body couldn't take it because of her weakened state." Taker said.

"I…try get to Daddy and Lea. Make sure they OK. But…not make it." Angel whispered.

"Wait…Angel are you saying that after you were thrown from the car you tried to crawl back there so you could see if Uncle Taker and LeLe were OK?" Kristy said.

"Yeah." Angel said.

"And her Dead Girl side must have sensed that and it caused her powers to kick in. Only her body could only take so much." Taker said.

"Remember….thinking…had to get to Daddy and Lea. I not care about other things. Just….that they OK." Angel said slowly.

"Even when Angel's hurt and near death, she thinks of others first." Lea said, giving her sister a hug.

Angel smiled. Taker shook his head, but he was smiling too. It seemed as though her personality was still there. She was still the selfless person she had been before this had happened, putting everyone before herself even when she knew she shouldn't. Just then, Doctor Kellon came in. He was carrying a bunch of paperwork. He set it down on the nearby table.

"Hello, Miss Calaway, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Fine." Angel said, looking in the direction his voice had come from.

"That's great. I've heard from Doctor Sanders and Miss Evans that you're doing great. They think you're ready for the Rehabilitation Hospital." Doctor Kellon said.

"Special place with angels?" Angel asked.

"That's right, baby girl. The doctors think you're ready." Taker said.

"OK. When I go there?" Angel asked.

"Tomorrow, Miss Calaway." Doctor Kellon said.

Angel smiled at him. Then she gasped. Something strange had just happened. Taker noticed that her eyes had gone wide and then she had blinked a few times. Then she started to cry. Doctor Kellon looked worried and said he would come back to sort out the paperwork later. As soon as he left, Taker walked over and hugged her. She stared at him, still seemingly in shock about something.

"Angel? What's wrong, baby girl? Are you alright? You're still feeling OK, aren't you?" Taker said.

"Daddy….I….I see…" Angel sobbed.

"What? What do you mean you can see?" Taker asked.

"I…think….my powers do it. I see…but it look…strange…" Angel tried to explain.

"Strange? Strange how?" Taker asked.

"It look like baby picture thing." Angel said.

"Baby picture thing? What does she mean?" Bret asked.

"Hm. I'm not sure." Taker said.

"Baby picture thing." Angel said, pointing to her stomach.

"Sweetheart, do you mean an ultrasound? Is that what it looks like?" David asked.

"Baby picture thing." Angel repeated, nodding at David.

"That must be very weird." Owen said.

"Powers do it. I get new ones." Angel said.

"Hm. I think I've seen that before. Wasn't it in a movie or something?" Owen asked.

"The blind lawyer." David said.

"Isn't that from the movie Daredevil?" Kane asked.

"Yeah. He could see like night or heat vision and white blobs where people are." Kristy said.

Angel nodded. Then she started laughing. She could see that everyone was looking at Kristy and Kane with puzzled expressions. They both shrugged.

"What?" Kane asked.

"We watch superhero movies." Kristy said,

"That's just odd…" Taker said.

Everyone laughed at that, even Angel. Taker leaned over and gave her a hug. It was nice to see her laughing again since they hadn't seen it in awhile. They were looking forward to getting Angel to the rehab hospital and eventually home again.


	12. A Step Forward

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 12: A Step Forward**

The next day, everyone arrived at the hospital early. Today was the day that Angel was moving from West Houston Medical Centre to the Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital. Everyone was excited for her. She had spent almost eight months in a medical facility and this was a big step forward for her. Taker, Wyatt, Kane and Lea arrived in the room to find Angel wide awake and carrying on a conversation with Kristy, something that hadn't happened in months, although Angel was struggling for words because she was trying to talk quickly without thinking about what she was saying.

"Baby girl, you need to take your time and think before you talk. Your words are coming out kind of jumbled, sweetheart." Taker said.

"Trying to talk to Kristy." Angel said quietly hanging her head.

"He's not giving you trouble, Ang. He's trying to help you out." Kristy said.

"Really, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, I'm not yelling at you, baby girl. I'm just trying to help. Try and slow down and think before you talk." Taker said.

"OK, Daddy." Angel said.

"Aunt Angel, we brought some clothes for you. It's just some pyjamas, but you'll be comfy when you go to the new place today." Wyatt said.

"Thank you, Wyatt." Angel said slowly, giving him a smile.

"Adam's Mom made them for you. Judy is handy with a sewing machine. She thought you'd might like some fun pyjamas to hang out in." Kristy said.

"Say thank you." Angel said.

"I will, Ang. I'll tell her next time we talk." Kristy said,

"Thanks." Angel said.

"You're welcome, Aunt Angel." Wyatt said.

"Kristy, do you think you could give Angel a hand?" Taker asked.

"Sure. No problem. Which color would you like Ang?" Kristy asked.

"What color?" Angel asked.

"You can't see color?" Wyatt asked.

"No." Angel said.

"That's strange." Lea said.

"Well, one is red and black. One is purple and black. One is black and has all of our logos on it." Kristy said.

"Logo, please?" Angel asked.

"Sure, Ang." Kristy said.

"Um….can I….have shower?" Angel asked quietly.

"Sure. We can use that cherry blooms body wash that David loves so much. Did I tell you he's wearing the perfume?" Kristy said with a giggle.

"But….he guy. Guys don't wear that stuff." Angel said, looking slightly weirded out.

"You're telling me. I started to worry until he said that he wore it because of the smell. Something about missing having girls around. My brother is a dummy. I swear, Uncle Jim corrupted that one." Kristy said.

"While Owen corrupted you, Little Kirsty?" Taker asked.

"No. Semi Corrupted me. If Uncle Pillman was still alive then I'd be corrupted." Kristy said with a sad smile.

"Who's Uncle Pillman?" Wyatt asked.

"And why haven't we met him?" Lea asked.

"Uncle Pillman died before you two were born. He was a family friend. He was in the group with Bret, Owen, Dad and Jim. Sometimes I forget to talk about him because he's been gone for so long." Kristy said.

"Brian was a good man. Crazy as everything, but a good man nonetheless. Wasn't he the one who used to call you KK?" Taker asked.

"Yeah, he was. He was also the only person who could get in the ring and up stage Uncle Owen. Course he could also act crazy and get away with it." Kristy said.

"So…he's with Mom?" Lea asked.

"Yes, LeLe. He's with Aunt Beth. I wish he was still around. I miss him." Kristy said.

"How did he end up there?" Wyatt asked.

"He had problems with his heart that he didn't know about." Taker said.

"Had he known, something could have been done. But then he would have had to quit wrestling and he wouldn't have done that." Kristy said.

"Stop." Angel said.

"What's wrong, Ang?" Kristy asked.

"You upset. So stop." Angel said.

"OK. OK. Let's get you up and let you have a shower." Kristy said.

"Good. I feel all yucky." Angel said.

Taker nodded. Kristy helped her get out of bed and she and Taker supported her on both sides and walked her to the bathroom. Taker warned Kristy to not get soap in Angel's eyes and Kristy nodded. Taker left the two girls in the washroom and closed the door. It didn't take too long before Angel came out in her new pyjamas. She was smiling like they hadn't seen in months. Kristy helped Angel to get back into bed so she would be comfortable while they waited for Doctor Kellon. Angel noticed that Wyatt was looking at her strangely.

"Wyatt, don't stare. It's rude." Lea said before she could say anything.

"Sorry. It's just….I never noticed Aunt Angel's hair before. It's so short and it looks funny." Wyatt said.

"Oh…well, it is different…" Lea said.

"It's because you're used to seeing her with long hair." Taker said.

"I look like boy." Angel said.

"You look fine, Ang." Kristy said.

"It'll grow back, baby girl." Taker said.

"I know." Angel said.

"Wyatt! Look what you did! You made her feel all…..bad…" Lea said.

"I didn't mean to!" Wyatt said.

"Stop it, you two." Kristy said.

"Daddy….Ozzie going with me to new place?" Angel asked.

"Well, baby girl, I'm going to work with him and get him housebroken. And certified as a therapy dog. But I think he knows he's supposed to be with you." Taker said.

"He does?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. I told him we were coming here and he got all excited and kept running from the door to me and back. It was like he was telling me he wanted to come too." Lea said.

"Mommy, can I have a dog?" Wyatt asked.

"Wyatt, we have three. Why do you want another one?" Kristy said.

"Those are Daddy's dogs. I want my own dog." Wyatt said.

"How come?" Kristy asked.

"Aunt Angel has a dog!" Wyatt said.

"But he's a special dog, Wyatt." Lea said.

"I know, but I want my own dog." Wyatt said.

"Not right now, Wyatt. There's way too much going on. The only reason Aunt Angel has Ozzie is because Papa Taker thought that a therapy dog would be a good idea for her. And he's probably right on that." Kristy said.

"OK, Mommy." Wyatt said.

"Why do you think Daddy was right, Kristy?" Lea asked.

"Daddy know what I need. And sometimes he know how I feel and say it when I can't." Angel explained.

"That's right, Lea." Kristy said.

Before Lea could respond, Doctor Kellon walked into the room. He was holding Angel's discharge papers. He sat down on the bed and went over them with Angel. Then he went over the transfer papers to make sure Angel understood. She nodded when he finished and Taker signed them on her behalf. Then he left the room.

"Angel, do you want to walk or do you want a wheelchair?" Taker asked.

"Um….wheelchair. Too far to walk." Angel said.

Taker nodded. He went and got a wheelchair and when he came back, Kristy helped her sit down and Lea and Wyatt both climbed up her lap, making Angel laugh. Rather than fight over who would ride with Angel, they both decided to. Taker wheeled her from the room while Kristy walked beside them. Then they walked down the hall. A few of the nurses and doctors stopped them along the way to say goodbye to them as they left. When they got outside, Taker went and brought the car around. Angel was smiling.

"Nice." Angel said.

"It's sunny out." Lea explained.

"Nice fresh air." Angel said.

"Oh, yeah, you haven't been outside in a long time. Right, Aunt Angel?" Wyatt said.

"Not since accident." Angel said.

"Mommy, can we still go swimming with Aunt Angel sometime?" Wyatt said.

"That probably won't happen for awhile, Wyatt." Kristy said.

"But we still can?" Wyatt asked.

"Eventually." Kristy said.

"OK. I miss swimming with her." Wyatt said.

Kristy nodded. He had missed doing things with Angel almost more than Lea had. Before Kristy could say anything more to him, Taker pulled up with the car. He got out and lifted Angel from the wheelchair. He placed her in the passenger seat and did up her seatbelt. Then Lea, Wyatt and Kristy got into the back and Taker got into the driver's seat. He could see that Angel looked nervous.

"You're OK, baby girl. Nothing is going to happen this time." He said.

"OK, Daddy. I'm just nervous." Angel said.

"I know, baby girl." Taker said.

He pulled away from the hospital and drove down the road. They weren't on the road for more than a few seconds when Wyatt spoke up. He seemed worried about something.

"Papa Taker, am I going to be able to do the stuff I used to do with Aunt Angel?" Wyatt asked.

"Sure, Wyatt. Why wouldn't you be able to?" Taker asked.

"Cause of the accident." Wyatt said.

"No. It's because I…different…" Angel said.

"No." Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, really?" Lea asked.

"It's not that! Well, it sort of is. I mean….she can't really see…and…" Wyatt tried to explain.

"Wyatt, are you scared that Angel won't be able to do the same things that she used to because she can't really see?" Kristy asked.

"Yes." Wyatt said, looking ashamed of himself.

"Wyatt, it's alright." Kristy said.

"Yeah, it's OK, Wyatt. But Angel can do a lot of the things with you that she did before, but she will just do it differently is all. Don't worry." Taker said.

"Hate being different." Angel said.

"You're not that different Ang." Kristy said.

"Yes, I am!" Angel said.

"Great, Wyatt. Look what you did! You made her feel bad." Lea said.

"Lea, he didn't mean to." Taker said.

"He's just worried about Angel." Kristy said.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Aunt Angel." Wyatt said.

Angel didn't say anything to that. She just nodded. Wyatt still looked upset. Taker reminded him that it was alright and that he was completely alright to worry about Angel. They drove the rest of the way in silence. When they got to the building, Taker pulled in and got out of the car along with Kristy, Wyatt and Lea. Taker walked around the car and opened the passenger side door. He helped Angel out of the car. Kristy went into the trunk and got Angel's bag. She looked like she was thinking about something

"What's wrong, Angel?" Lea asked.

"I…different." Angel said, tears rolling down her face now.

"Great. I made her upset." Wyatt said.

"No one is different, Ang." Kristy said.

"I different! My eyes not work! It make me different!" Angel said.

"Oh, dear." Taker said.

"Great…" Lea said.

"Lea, she would have figured it out eventually." Kristy said.

"She's really smart." Wyatt said.

"Angel, being blind doesn't make you different. You're still the same Angel and you're still my best friend." Kristy said.

"And everyone still loves you." Wyatt said.

"And you're still my big sister and I still love you a lot. You're basically my Mom." Lea said.

"Nothing has changed, Ang, and nothing will. This is just a small bump in the road that we have to get over." Kristy said.

"You sure?" Angel asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry, Ang. We'll all be here to help you through this. No matter what we have to do." Kristy said.

Angel beamed and nodded. Taker asked her if she wanted to walk into the hospital, but Angel shook her head and told him that she was just fine where she was. Taker nodded. He knew she was about to get somewhat clingy given that she was walking into a place full of strangers.

"You OK, Ang?" Kristy asked.

"Not want to go in here." Angel said.

"But they're going to help you." Lea said.

"Yeah, they're going to help you get better again, Aunt Angel." Wyatt said.

"Scared." Angel said.

"There's no reason to be scared, baby girl." Taker said.

"Angel doesn't do well with meeting new people or being around strangers." Kristy said.

"I know, Kristy." Taker said.

"But why not? They're not going to hurt her or anything. They're going to make her better again." Wyatt said.

"Aunt Angel doesn't like new people, baby boy." Kristy said.

"Well, it's not that she doesn't like new people, it's just meeting new people always makes her very nervous. Usually she tries to….avoid meeting new people if she can." Taker said.

"She was even nervous around me at first. She went so far as to tell me that being her friend would bring nothing but trouble." Kristy said.

"She did?" Wyatt said.

"Yes, she did." Kristy said.

"I don't think that had anything to do with her nerves. I think that was more her situation at the time. But the point is Aunt Angel doesn't want to go in there because meeting new people is hard for her, even if they are there to help her get better." Taker said.

"Oh, kinda like Mommy when she's in a room full of strangers." Wyatt said.

"But….the people they wrestle in front of are strangers. And they're in huge buildings. How does that not bother her? Or Kristy?" Lea said.

"Because….I can wrestle. I'm good at it. Or at least….I used to be." Angel said slowly.

"Angel! You just said a complete sentence!" Kristy said.

"If I talk slow….then I can. It's when I try talking really fast that I mess up." Angel said, still speaking slowly.

"Or if you get upset or angry." Lea said.

"Yeah." Angel said.

"You don't need to worry, baby girl. No one here is going to hurt you. Besides, you won't be alone. I'm not about to leave you here. And I don't think Lea is going to want to leave you." Taker said.

"Nope." Lea answered.

"And I'm not going anywhere." Kristy said.

"And if Mommy's staying with you than I am too." Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, honey. You have to go to school." Kristy said.

"But I don't want to leave Aunt Angel! I don't want to go to school! I don't wanna go back to Tampa with Daddy." Wyatt said.

"You were going to send Wyatt back to Tampa with Adam?" Taker asked.

"Only because of school. Besides, Adam could really use quality time with him."

"Kristy, normally I would stay out of this, but is something going on with Adam and Wyatt?" Taker asked.

"No. Daddy just thinks I'm with Mommy too much lately. Ever since Aunt Angel got hurt." Wyatt said quietly.

"I see. He feels like your Mom is keeping you from him?" Taker said.

"I heard them arguing. Mom was trying to explain that she wasn't keeping me from him and that I was deciding to be with Mom because she was with Aunt Angel at the hospital and I wanted to be there…but…he wouldn't listen." Wyatt said.

"Adam thinks I'm doing it on purpose." Kristy said.

"Kristy, go with Adam." Angel said.

"Ang?" Kristy asked.

"Go back home with Adam. He misses you." Angel said, slowly.

"Ang…I…I can't just go." Kristy said.

"Kristy, I…have Daddy and Lea…and Uncle too." Angel said.

"But Ang…." Kristy said.

"No. You need to go." Angel said.

"So you don't want us here?" Wyatt asked.

"It's not that, Wyatt. It's just Angel knows she'll be alright with Kane, Lea and I." Taker explained.

"Oh….OK." Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, I know you're worried about Angel and that's alright. And I know your Mom is worried too and doesn't want to go, and that's fine too. But I promise, Kane and I aren't going to let anything happen to Angel and Lea. You know that." Taker said.

"But…Papa Taker…I want to be here. Aunt Angel needs to know that we love her. And…this whole thing is really scary…" Wyatt whispered.

"Wyatt, baby, Aunt Angel will be fine without us for a little bit. It's alright." Kristy said.

"No! I'm staying here." Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, you can't. Daddy and Uncle can't look after you. They'll be busy with Angel and I. You have to go home." Lea said.

"NO!" Wyatt shouted.

"Wyatt Owen James Hart Copeland, you do not raise your voice like that. You're going home." Kristy said.

"We can settle this later. Right now, we need to get Angel in there and get her settled in." Taker said.

Kristy nodded. Lea and Wyatt walked on either side of Kristy and Taker walked in front. They went inside. When they got up to the reception desk, Taker introduced Angel and handed over the papers that Doctor Kellon had given them that morning. The nurse smiled and lead them down the hall. Wyatt was looking around curiously at everything and Kristy was telling him what each thing was and what each room was for.

When they got to Angel's room, Taker laid her in bed and Kristy put her bag in the closet. The receptionist told them that Angel would just rest for the day and that she would start meeting people and doing therapy tomorrow. Taker nodded. Angel nodded in agreement too. She felt tired for some reason. Lea climbed up on a chair and sat down. Wyatt looked worried as Angel dozed off.

"Wyatt, she'll be OK. Honestly. You need to go home. Otherwise your Dad is going to keep fighting with your Mom." Taker said.

"But it's not Mom's fault. I chose to be with Aunt Angel and Mom! Daddy is being stupid." Wyatt snapped.

"Wyatt, do not call your father stupid. Don't you ever." Kristy said.

"Well he is for not listening to you! You keep trying to tell him that it's my choice and it's not because you're purposely keeping him from me!" Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, honey…." Kristy started.

"Mom, I don't want to leave, OK? I want to stay here." Wyatt said.

"No, baby. I'm sorry, but we have to go home." Kristy said.

"But…." Wyatt said.

"No buts, Wyatt." Kristy said.

"Don't worry about Angel, Wyatt. She'll be fine." Taker said.

"Daddy is going to get kicked right in the family…" Wyatt started.

"Wyatt!" Kristy said.

"Sorry, Mom." Wyatt said.

"Kristy, you can't fool me. You're not happy about this either." Taker said.

"No. I'm not. But right now we need to think about what's best for Angel and not for our...oh dear God. I'm starting to sound like Grandpa Stu. There's a scary thought." Kristy said.

"Not really." Taker said.

"What's best for Aunt Angel is for us to stay right here and do whatever we can to help!" Wyatt said to his mother.

"Wyatt, do not start that again." Kristy said.

"What's best for Angel is to focus on getting better and she can't get better if she knows your Mom and Dad are fighting because she'll be worried about your Mom!" Lea said.

"Lea is right, Wyatt. The last thing Angel will want to know is that your Mom is fighting with your Dad." Taker said.

"OK, OK. We'll go home, but Papa Taker had better keep us updated." Wyatt said.

"Of course I will." Taker said.

"I'm still mad at Daddy." Wyatt said.

"Behave, Wyatt." Kristy said.

Wyatt nodded. Angel sighed in her sleep and stirred a little bit. She looked upset when she realized she was in a strange place, but she relaxed when she saw her Dad and Lea there with her. Then she looked at Kristy. Her friend looked worried.

"Kristy, go home." Angel said.

"I am, Ang. I'm going to take Wyatt and go home, so that you can concentrate on getting better and Adam and I can talk about this whole thing. I want to hear you making progress, alright?" Kristy said.

"I will." Angel said.

"Good." Kristy said,

"Aunt Angel. We love you, OK? Remember that?" Wyatt said.

"I know. Don't worry." Angel said.

Kristy gave Angel a hug and then lifted Wyatt up so that he could give her a hug too. Then the two of them hugged Lea and Taker and left. Taker sighed. He hoped that this wouldn't take too long and that he could have Angel back home where she belonged again. The thing was, it all depended on Angel and how determined she was.


	13. Making Progress

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 13: Making Progress**

Three months had passed since Angel had been in the accident. She was still in the Kindred Spirit Rehabilitation Hospital, but things had changed a lot. She was making leaps and bounds in her rehabilitation. She could walk and talk really well now, but if she tended to get upset or angry, she would still stutter over her words. Wyatt and Kristy were back in Houston too. They had gone back to Tampa and stayed there about two months before she and Adam had had a fight. Kristy had called him out on being jealous of Kristy's friendship with Angel and he had denied it, leading to the fight. Kristy had packed up her and Wyatt's things and gotten on the first flight back to Houston. The two of them had been so happy to see Angel's progress.

Ozzie was also three months old now and he was certified as a therapy dog now and was able to stay with Angel in the hospital. He was protective of Angel and tended to bark at any strangers who came into the room, although he was used to the therapists now. The rest of the Harts were back in Calgary spending time with their families and David had gone back to work in Japan. Oddly enough, Angel didn't miss him that much and it didn't bother her that she barely heard from him. Lea and Wyatt were in the bed with Angel on either side of her watching her read braille.

"You two, you're crowding Angel." Kristy said.

"But braille is so cool, Mom. Plus I never heard of it before Aunt Angel got hurt." Wyatt said.

"Yeah. It's so neat!" Lea said.

"You're just happy because I can still read stories to you guys." Angel said with a laugh.

"Daddy, do you think Angel will be back home soon?" Lea asked.

"I don't know. But about home….I'm thinking we might need to move to a one floor house for Angel's sake." Taker said.

"But….the house we live in is the one you lived in when Mom was with you, Daddy. All the memories of Mom are there. I don't want to take that away…." Angel said.

"Angel, all the memories I have with your Mother are right here in my head." Taker said.

"I know. But still…" Angel said.

"Ang, I'm sure Aunt Beth would be more concerned about your safety than anything else." Kristy said.

"Daddy, what if we just fix up the house and put Angel's room on the first floor?" Lea asked.

"Uncle Taker, do you think you'll have enough time to renovate the house?" Kristy asked.

"I'm not sure. It depends on how long Angel spends here." Taker said.

"Daddy, if I have to sleep on a couch, I will sleep on a couch. Anything would be more comfortable then the hospital beds I've been in sleeping in." Angel said.

"Fair point. But I need to be here with you." Taker said.

"What if we asked Grandpa Dean and Uncle Liam to help out? I'm sure they would." Angel said.

"I'll talk to them about it." Taker said.

"And I think the best thing to do would be to gut the inside of the house and start over. Because the alternative is going to take a lot longer." Angel said.

"You mean tearing the whole thing down?" Taker asked.

"Yeah. That would take longer than just gutting the inside and redoing it." Angel said.

"Good point. I'll give them a call." Taker said.

Angel nodded. It was then that the therapist came in. Angel cringed. It was time for physiotherapy. Taker asked Kristy to go with Angel this time so that he could call Dean and Liam and get the process of renovating the house going as soon as possible since it was going to take a lot of time to pull off. Kristy agreed. Angel left with Kristy, Lea, and Wyatt while Taker took Ozzie outside for a bit of a walk and a bathroom trip so that he could use his cell phone. He called Dean and Liam's house. To his shock, Dean answered after two rings. The phone was on speaker obviously, given that Liam said hello too.

 _"How's our Angel Baby holding up?" Dean asked._

"She's going in leaps and bounds over here. But that's not why I'm calling. I need to call in a favour. And given that it's something that will help Angel, we were sure you'd jump on it." Taker said.

 _"What's up, Mark?" Liam asked._

"Well, we were talking and I told Angel I was thinking about moving to a one floor house for her safety and she got upset, naturally. Then Lea came up with the idea of renovating the house and building Angel a room on the first floor so she didn't have to worry about stairs. So, we need your help. I'll pay for everything, but we need the two of you to kind of getting everything going." Taker said.

 _"What were you thinking of doing, Mark?" Dean asked._

"Gutting the inside of the house and starting from scratch." Taker said.

 _"Ah. Well, alright then. We'll make some calls and see what we can do." Dean said._

"Thanks, you two. I appreciate it. And Angel does too. She sends her love." Taker said.

 _"Tell her we love her and we'll see her soon." Dean said._

"Will do. Bye guys. And thanks again." Taker said.

 _"No problem, Mark. We'll see you later." Dean said._

Taker hung up the phone and went back inside. He walked with Ozzie to the physiotherapy room. Lea was sitting outside with Wyatt and the two were talking. The two of them didn't like going in there when Angel had her physiotherapy. The reason was that they were sure that it was hurting her rather than helping. Taker sighed. He went in and told Kristy to go and wait outside with the two children while he stayed there. Kristy nodded and Taker took over, holding Angel's hand and keeping her calm.

"Miss Calaway, you're doing great. If you everything going at this pace, you'll be home in no time."

"Good. Then I can get myself back in shape and get myself back to work." Angel said.

"When that time comes, baby girl, just make sure you don't exhaust yourself." Taker said.

"Don't worry, Daddy. I won't rush it. Promise." Angel said.

"I'm gonna hold you to that, baby girl." Taker said.

Angel nodded. After about an hour of stretching Angel's legs, she stood up. She walked back and forth across the room no problem. The doctor grinned from ear to ear and so did Taker. Angel beamed.

"It looks like you'll only have a few physiotherapy sessions left, Miss Calaway."

Angel nodded. She walked out of the room with Taker. Lea jumped up and hugged her sister and so did Wyatt. Kristy was grinning from ear to ear. Angel hadn't been able to move on her own in months. They walked back to Angel's room and she walked over and sat by the window. Kristy sighed. She explained that she had just got a call from the Houston PD saying that Lea and Angel would have to testify at Lexie's trial that started next week.

"What?! Why can't they just play the taped statements?" Taker asked.

"The prosecutor suggested that, but the defense wants to hear what Angel and Lea have to say in person." Kristy said.

"Alright. Do you two think you can do that?" Taker said.

"I'll do it!" Lea said.

"I'll do it if it means that she never gets out and can never hurt anyone else again!" Angel said, looking determined.

"I get the feeling Angel isn't doing this just for herself." Kristy said.

"I'm doing it for Mom too. And all the other families and people that she has hurt. Even her daughter." Angel said.

Taker nodded. Then he explained that he had spoken to Dean and Liam about renovating the house so that Angel could safely move around in it and that they were going to make some calls and get things started.

"But…what if I get out of here before the renovations are done?" Angel asked.

"We'll think of something, baby girl." Taker said.

"OK, Daddy." Angel said.

Angel continued to stare out the window. Lea walked over and stood next to her. Then Lea started to describe what she could see from where they were. Angel got an idea. She asked her Dad to put her special drawing board on her lap and give her a pencil. Taker did. Lea went quiet.

"No. It's OK, Lea. Keep talking." Angel said.

Lea looked confused, but she did as Angel told her. Angel started to draw what Lea was describing. It went on for about five minutes until she had to stop because her hand was hurting her. When Lea looked at the paper, she was stunned. Angel had drawn everything that Lea had described to her.

"Wow, Angel!" Lea said.

"You drew everything perfectly, girl. That's amazing!" Kristy said.

"Wow, baby girl." Taker said, looking over her shoulder.

"How does she do that?" Wyatt asked.

"Well, even though I have the power to see in my own sort of way, my eyes don't quite work the way they used to. But my mind's eye works just fine. So I could see everything that Lea was saying in my head and just put it on the paper." Angel said.

"That's cool." Wyatt said.

"I'm just glad Angel isn't too broken and that I still have my big sister. It would be weird to be here without her." Lea said.

Everyone looked at each other. Then they nodded in agreement. It would have been strange had Angel not pulled through and survived what had happened to her. Angel looked down at Lea and then gave her a hug.

"Hey, Daddy, can we go outside and go for a walk? I mean, I want to walk Ozzie and I need some fresh air. Besides, there's a park down the street and I think Lea and Wyatt need some time as normal kids." Angel said.

"Leave it to Aunt Angel to think about us when she's going through a lot of stuff." Wyatt said.

"She wouldn't be Angel if she didn't worry about us all." Kristy said.

"Sure, baby girl. We can go for a walk." Taker said.

Angel grinned. Kane helped her get her shoes on and Taker helped her get a sweater. Then he hooked Ozzie up to his leash and handed it to Angel. They walked from the room and told the receptionist that they were going for a walk and they would be back in a little while. As soon as they stepped outside, Angel was hit by a wall of sounds.

"I never realized how noisy Houston is." Angel said.

"It's because of your heightened sense of hearing, Little Angel." Kane said.

"I know. But I felt like I was getting hit by a wall just now. I need to get outside more and get used to it." Angel said.

They nodded. They continued to walk to the park. Angel was listening to the sounds as they walked and Lea was describing what they were walking past. When they arrived at the park, Lea and Wyatt went off to play. Angel sat down on the bench with Kane and Taker.

"What are you thinking about, baby girl?" Taker asked.

"David." Angel said.

"Oh?" Kane asked.

"I'm wondering when he's going to break up with me." Angel said.

"Do you think that will happen?" Taker asked.

"Probably. I mean, I haven't seen him in over three months. In the last three months, he's called once. I can see it coming, Daddy." Angel said.

"Well, baby girl, if that's what you think, that's OK, but I don't think David will break up with you." Taker said.

"If you say so, Daddy. I guess all we can do and wait and see what will happen." Angel said.

Taker nodded. That was about all they could do nowadays was wait to see what would happen with life in general. They sat there for a long time. Kristy, Taker, and Kane watched Wyatt and Lea play while Angel sat there with Ozzie, occasionally getting up to let him use the bathroom.

After a few hours, everyone could see Angel getting tired so they decided to head back to the hospital so she could rest. They called Lea and Wyatt over and then stood up and walked back toward the hospital. When they got back to the hospital, the nurse greeted them. They went back to Angel's room. Angel sighed and got back into bed. Within a few minutes, she was asleep.

"You OK, big brother?" Kane said.

"Just thinking about what Angel said about David." Taker said.

"Do you really think that he'll break up with her?" Kane asked.

"I don't know. I hope not." Taker said.

"He's not really being much of a boyfriend right now. I wonder if my Mom got to him again." Kristy said.

"I doubt that. If she did, he'd come right out and break up with her instead of stringing her along like this." Kane said.

"Kane's right." Taker said.

Kristy nodded. Kane was probably right. If Diana had gotten to David, he would have come right out and broken up with Angel instead of hiding behind the fact that he was busy working in Japan. Lea was watching Angel sleep looking worried.

"What's wrong, Lea?" Kristy asked.

"Just wondering how much longer Angel is going to go through all this bad stuff before something good happens for her…or to her." Lea said.

"I don't know, Little One. But it can't get any worse for her then it has already. So, it has to get a lot better." Taker said.

"Good." Lea said.

She reached up and gave her sleeping sister a hug. Angel stirred a little bit and hugged her sister back. Kristy, Taker and Kane all looked at each other. They hoped that Taker was right and things would only get better for Angel from here.


	14. A Trial

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 14: A Trial**

One week later, Angel found herself not in the hospital, but sitting in the lobby of the courthouse with Ozzie and her father in tow. She was nervous. Even though she couldn't see anything in a real sense, she didn't want to come face to face with Lexie again. Kristy and Wyatt were in the courtroom, listening to everything that all the other witnesses were saying. Lea sat next to Angel, looking nervous as well.

Bret, Owen, and Davey had all called down to Houston and wished Angel and Lea good luck. Kane had had to go back on the road and deal with the consequences of having betrayed the Authority because they hadn't forgotten. Conspicuous by his absence was David. He had phoned and told Angel that they needed to talk and that he would come to Houston when he got time off, but that he wasn't going to be there for her during the trial. She couldn't help but feel kind of hurt by that.

While all this was happening, their house was being renovated so that it would be safer for Angel to move around. Everything that they owned was in storage and it was a good thing that Taker and Lea were staying with Angel at the rehabilitation hospital, otherwise they would have had nowhere else to go. Angel was snapped out of her thoughts by Lea speaking.

"Daddy, how come Angel and I have to do this? I'm scared." Lea said.

"I know, Lea. But the people that are trying to keep that lady out of jail want to hear the story from the both of you." Taker said.

"They want to make sure we aren't lying, Lea." Angel said.

"But why would we lie?! Especially since this is so serious! It's important! Besides, it's not nice to lie to people." Lea said.

"We know, Lea. But they just want to be sure." Angel said.

"It still doesn't make it fair." Lea said.

"No. It's not. And I know it's going to be hard, you two, but you can both do this. Just…try not to look at her. If you have to, look at Kristy, Wyatt and I. We'll be there." Taker said.

"I find it funny that I step in a ring in front of thousands of people and it's no problem, but stick me in a court room with twenty to thirty people and I'm screwed." Angel said.

"It's different when it's an arena, baby girl. There are so many people there that you can't see everyone. In a courtroom, you can see everyone." Taker said.

Angel nodded. She just wanted to get this over with and get back to the rehabilitation hospital and finish up there so that she could get home and get back to training. Just as Lea was about to speak up, the door opened and they called Lea in. Lea looked back at Taker and Angel nervously as she left. Taker said he would be back as soon as Lea was done and left too. Angel was left alone with Ozzie, who was sitting beside her on the couch just staring at her.

Out in the court room, Lea swore that she would tell the truth no matter what. She looked downright scared as she stared around. The prosecutor stood up.

"Alright, Lea, I'm going to need you to tell me what happened the night that you and your Dad and sister got into the accident. Can you do that?"

"Yes. Daddy took Angel and I out for family dinner to spend some time with us. We were on our way home, laughing and talking and having fun. We were stopped at a red light when suddenly, Angel yelled at Daddy to look out. There was a bright light coming at us. After that…I don't remember a lot. But when I woke up my sister was gone and Daddy was hurt and so was I." Lea said.

"Thank you, Lea. No further questions."

Lea nodded. The prosecutor sat back down and the Defense Attorney stood up. Lea was even more scared about this. She knew that it was this man's job to keep Lexie out of jail by whatever means possible.

"Now, Lea. If you say that's what happened, then how is it that you know that my client was the one that hit you and your family?" he asked.

"Because Kristy…my other sister found out about it when she came to the hospital later that night." Lea said.

"And what did Kristy say my client said?"

"Kristy said that Lexie kept apologizing and telling the nurses and the doctors that she had been in an accident and that she wanted my Daddy to know that she was sorry." Lea said.

"And then what did Kristy say?"

"She went and talked to Lexie. There was a lot of yelling, but Kristy did say that she wasn't going to let Lexie get away with what she had done." Lea said.

"Thank you, Lea. No further questions."

Lea got off the witness stand and ran back to the room she had come from. Just as she did, Taker came back in. Lea ran to him, hugging him. Angel was smiling.

"You did great, Lea." Taker said.

"Good." Lea said.

Just then, the security guard poked his head in again and Angel sighed. She stood up and Ozzie followed. They were at least going to let her take him with her. Lea and Taker went to sit down and watch. Both of them noticed that Kristy looked angry as she watched Angel swear that she would tell the truth. Angel sat down and waited.

"Angel, can you tell me what happened that night…or at least as much as you can remember?"

"OK. Well, Lea and I went to family dinner with Daddy. We were on our way back and stopped at a red light. We were talking and laughing when I saw the headlights coming. I yelled at Daddy to watch out. The next thing I knew…I was thrown from the car. Just before I landed….I saw Lexie sitting behind the wheel of the other car. Then I tried to get to Daddy and Lea to make sure they were alright….but I blacked out. I woke up six months later at West Houston Medical Centre." Angel said quietly.

"And what happened due to this accident Angel?"

"Dad got a bit banged up. Lea had a broken arm and a few cuts and scrapes, but….I got the worst of it. I ended up blind. I spent six months in a coma and when I woke up, I was immobile, a lot of my memory was missing and I couldn't speak. I've had to relearn how to do everything and have had to learn to cope with not being able to see." Angel said.

"Thank you, Angel. No further questions."

He sat down. Angel waited. She knew that it was the defense attorney's turn and she was worried. What she couldn't see was Kristy getting angrier and mumbling that if Angel broke down, this man was going to be dead.

"You're sure that this was what happened?" he asked without mercy.

"No. I'm positive that this was what happened to us." Angel said.

"Your friend Kristy was the one who figured out that it was my client, correct?"

"Yes, sir. That's correct." Angel answered.

"Kristy also said that she would make sure that my client paid for what she did to your family times ten. What did she mean by that?"

"Well, Kristy's in the courtroom. You'd have to put her up here and ask her about that because I don't know exactly. She is my best friend, but even I don't know everything that she's planning. Or thinking." Angel told him calmly.

"Right you are. Thank you, Angel."

"That's it? I would have thought you'd ask me outright stupid questions." Angel said.

"That's all. Thank you Angel."

Angel nodded. She got off the witness stand and walked back to the room she had come from. She sat down on the couch and broke down crying because she was so relieved. Just then, the door opened and Taker, Lea, Kristy and Wyatt came in. Kristy ran over and hugged Angel.

"What are you crying about?" she asked.

"Just glad this is over." Angel said through her tears.

"Me too. I didn't like that lawyer." Kristy said.

"Mom kept mumbling that she was gonna kill him if you got upset." Wyatt said.

"I believe it." Angel said.

"Lexie's daughter being up there was hard to listen to. Lexie didn't care about her. Poor girl." Kristy said.

"What about Mom? Who talked on her behalf if Dad was back here with Lea and I?" Angel asked.

"Mommy." Wyatt said.

"What?! How?" Angel asked.

"I told the attorney that I knew the story and that it was too hard for you and Uncle Taker to talk about." Kristy said.

"Kristy….you didn't have to do that…" Angel said.

"Yes, I did. You're my family too." Kristy said.

Angel nodded. Just then, Dean and Liam came in and announced that the jury was out deliberating and that it was safe for them to head back to the hospital. They hugged Angel and Kristy. Then everyone left. They headed back to the hospital. Rather than get back in bed, Angel walked over and sat next to the window. She looked worried.

"Baby girl?" Taker asked.

"What if she gets away with all this?" Angel whispered.

"She won't, baby girl." Taker said.

"What if she does? What are we going to do? It…won't be safe." Angel said quietly.

"We'll make it, baby girl. Don't worry." Taker said.

Angel nodded. She knew that she shouldn't worry, but at the same time it was hard not to imagine the jury feeling kind of bad for Lexie and letting her go. All they could do was wait and see what would happen.


	15. Preparing

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 15: Preparing**

Nine months later, the house was renovated and Angel was back home and back training. Not only that, but Kristy and Wyatt were living in Houston with Taker, Angel and Lea. The two girls were working hard at their training and Lea and Wyatt loved to watch them. Sometimes Taker jumped in and helped them out too. Bret and Owen were back on the road too and things were going alright for them.

David had indeed come to Houston to talk to Angel and they had ended up breaking up. They had talked it over and decided that it was too hard for them to be together when they were leading completely separate lives. Angel had given him back his promise ring and wished him well. What surprised everyone was that Angel did not seem upset at all by what had happened. She had obviously seen it coming by the way he hadn't been there for her during the trial or while she was in Rehabilitation.

Another thing that had happened was Lexie being found guilty of all the charges and would be spending the rest of her life in jail. Adam and Kristy had broken up too. Kristy was the one that broke up with him. She had decided that with them living separate lives with him working on Haven and Kristy being in the WWE, it was easier for them to break up. Besides, she had noticed that Wyatt was miserable too and she had to do what was best for him.

Angel sighed. She had just finished up another day of training and was exhausted. She flopped down on the couch. Kristy flopped down next to her. Kristy flipped on the TV. To her surprise, WWE NXT was on there.

"Hey, look. It's NXT." Kristy said.

Angel perked up a little bit and started to listen to what was going on. They watched it for the whole hour. Then she turned and looked at Kristy with a thoughtful expression.

"Ang? What are you thinking?" Kristy asked.

"It's time to go back." Angel said.

"What?! But Ang, are you sure? You're not ready." Kristy said.

"Kristy, I know _you_ think that I'm not ready, but I think I am and it's my choice, not yours." Angel said.

"OK, fine, but if you insist on going back, I'm coming too." Kristy said.

"Well, that's good because I just got a call from Hunter. He wants the both of you back in NXT for retraining and such." Taker's voice said.

"Uncle Taker! Don't do that!" Kristy said.

"Give us a heart attack why don't you, Daddy?" Angel said.

"Why are we getting retrained there? Aren't we above that?" Kristy said.

"Kristy! We're not above anything. That actually sounds like it'd be kind of fun." Angel said.

"Maybe. I'd like to meet this Dean Ambrose and this Roman Reigns that people are talking about. I've heard the both of them are really talented." Kristy said.

"Hunter said to call back when you're ready." Taker said.

"I'm ready now." Angel said.

"Baby girl…" Taker said.

"Daddy, the ring is the one place I can go and feel like I belong there. Wrestling is the one thing I know I can do right. And I'm anxious to get back there." Angel said.

"I might as well go too. Who knows, I might be able to learn more then I know already." Kristy said.

"One thing about this business Kristy is that there's always more to learn." Taker said.

"I know, Uncle Taker." Kristy said.

"Angel, you have to promise me that you're going to be careful down there." Taker said.

"You're not coming too?" Angel asked.

"No. Not yet." Taker said.

"But….Daddy, you have to come with us!" Angel said.

"Yeah, Uncle Taker!" Kristy said.

"You two will be just fine without me for a bit. But if you need me, all you have to do is call. You know that." Taker said.

Angel was about to say something when the phone rang again. Taker went and answered it. The two girls listened and heard his tone go from happy to completely concerned. When he came back, Kristy could see that he looked worried. Angel could tell too even though she couldn't see her father's face

"Daddy, you're worried. What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"I'm not even going to ask how you can tell that, baby girl." Taker said.

"So what's wrong? Are Uncle Bret, Uncle Owen and Kane OK?" Kristy asked.

"That was actually Kane on the phone. He….has to realign himself with Hunter." Taker said.

"WHAT?!" Angel shouted.

"What has Hunter done now?! Why would he want Kane to join him again?" Kristy asked.

"I have no idea. But he left Kane with no choice. He said that if Kane didn't rejoin the Authority, Hunter would do everything possible to make his life and the lives of the people he cares about complete hell for as long as we're in the WWE." Taker said.

"So he's doing it to protect all of us?" Angel asked.

"Well, that explains his tone." Kristy said.

"He told me to tell you both that he apologizes for anything that he has to do to you when you both get back up to the main roster." Taker said.

"Poor Uncle. Can't you do something about it, Daddy? I mean, it's only Hunter. You can take what he throws at you. You have before!" Angel said.

"Yeah, Kane shouldn't have to go through this again." Kristy said.

"I don't know if there's anything I can do to help him. But would it make you feel better if I was there to kind of…keep an eye on things?" Taker asked.

"Yes!" Angel and Kristy said in stereo.

"But…what are we going to do with Lea and Wyatt? I mean, I can't really take Wyatt with me and with Hunter running around doing whatever he pleases on Raw and SmackDown it's not exactly safe there either." Kristy said.

"Not to mention Lea. I know you can protect her and everything, Daddy, but Hunter is the most vindictive guy around and he could do anything to put Lea in danger. And I don't know how she'll feel being with me. I won't be able to spend quality time with her." Angel said.

"We could always ask Dean and Liam to watch them." Taker said.

"But I wanna go with Mom!" Wyatt's voice said.

"And I wanna go with Angel!" Lea's voice echoed.

Kristy and Taker looked around. Wyatt and Lea were standing in the doorway where Taker had been a few minutes before. They both looked upset at the idea of having to stay in Houston while their families went off on the road.

"How long have you two been there?" Taker asked.

"Well, we know that Uncle has to join the Authority again and Angel and Kristy are going for training and you have to go too so that Uncle will be safe." Lea said.

"Wyatt, baby. It's not safe for you right now with Hunter running amok. You and LeLe can't be there." Kristy said.

"But if we go with you and Aunt Angel to the training place, we'll be safe. Hunter won't be there." Wyatt said.

"I don't know…" Kristy said.

"Hunter runs the place. I don't like the idea." Angel said.

"Come on, Daddy. Please! Let me go with Angel! I promise I'll be good and I won't get in her way or anything! Please?" Lea said.

"Yeah. We promise we'll be good. Please can we come? Please?" Wyatt asked.

"It's not a question of you two being good or not." Taker said.

"It's a question of whether it's safe or not." Kristy said.

"But we really wanna go! Please?" Lea said.

"Please, Mommy?" Wyatt asked.

"I really don't know. I like the idea of you two staying with Dean and Liam." Kristy said.

"Daddy, what do you think we should do?" Angel asked.

"Well, staying with Dean and Liam is a good idea, but on the other hand, they might enjoy the Performance Centre. After all, if they're gonna be in WWE someday, they'll have to start there." Taker said.

"Yeah, but is it safe?" Angel asked.

"Hunter isn't physically down there unless there's a problem of some sort. You'll be OK as long as nothing comes up." Taker said.

"Alright, we can try it." Kristy said.

"But if anything happens then Daddy is going to pick you up and bring you back here and you'll stay with Dean and Liam. Deal?" Angel asked.

"Deal!" Wyatt and Lea said in stereo.

"You two have got to stop doing that." Angel and Kristy said at the same time.

"You two are just as bad as they are." Taker said with a laugh.

"So…do you have to call Hunter back or are we going to just show up unannounced?" Angel asked.

"I'm going to call and let him know that Lea and Wyatt are coming along with you two and that you'll be there as soon as possible." Taker said.

"Can we leave tomorrow?" Angel asked.

"Uh, Ang. One problem. We don't have anywhere to stay and I am so not up for a hotel." Kristy said.

"That is a problem." Angel said.

"Does that mean we can't go?" Lea asked.

"Not until we find a place." Kristy said.

"Well, given that your Mom and I rarely use the money we've made so far, rent might not be so hard." Angel said.

"The only problem is finding a place big enough for all of us." Kristy said.

"How come we have to live together?" Lea asked.

"Because for Kristy and I being apart is really difficult. We're practically joined at the hip. Even more so since I got hurt. She's on constant guard duty. And you don't like being away from Wyatt much either." Angel said.

"Angel and I are like twins, LeLe. We've always been together so when we're apart, it sucks. Plus, you and Wyatt don't like being apart either. At least not for too long anyway. Hey, Ang, I just thought of something. Aunt Ellie and Uncle Jim live in a nice neighborhood and so do Nattie and Ty. Maybe they can help us out." Kristy said.

"Wouldn't hurt to try." Angel said.

"You really are anxious to get back." Kristy said.

"You can't tell me you're not." Angel said.

"Well, yeah, I guess so." Kristy said.

"OK, what's the matter? I can tell by your tone that something is up." Angel said.

"Damn you and your improved sense of sound." Kristy said.

"Well? What's up?" Angel asked.

"I just…I don't know. I'm just thinking about Wyatt and about how we move around so much, he's never in one place long enough." Kristy said.

"It's OK, Mommy. I don't mind. As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we go or how many times we move around." Wyatt told her, running and giving her a big hug.

"I love you, my little warrior." Kristy said as she returned the hug.

"I love you too." Wyatt said.

"Hey, what about me?" Lea asked.

"I love you too, Lea." Kristy said.

"OK. Good." Lea said.

"Hey, Kristy, do you think Nattie and Ty would let us stay at their place?" Angel asked.

"Where did that idea come from?" Taker asked.

"I'm sure they would. Only we'd have to be aware of the cats." Kristy said.

"Nattie and Ty have cats?" Lea and Wyatt asked.

"Yes. And if they let us stay there we have to make sure we don't lose them. And make sure they stay inside all the time." Angel said.

"Louis, Mackavillie, and Charlotte. And they are three Mommy and Daddy Cats." Kristy said.

"Why don't you give Nattie a call and see what she says, Kristy? I'm sure they won't mind. As long as you don't lose the cats or mess up the house too badly." Taker said.

"OK, sure." Kristy said.

She left the room to go and call Nattie. Lea and Wyatt started jumping up and down and cheering that they were going to Florida. It made Taker and Angel laugh. Then Taker looked at both of them.

"I want you two to understand that Angel and Kristy are there to work, alright?" he said to them, sounding like a Dad.

"Yeah, but we can still have fun, Daddy. Geez." Angel said.

"Yeah, Papa Taker." Wyatt said.

"And we know we have to stay out of their way when they're training and stuff, Daddy. Don't worry. If we're in the way, then Kristy and Angel will never get to go back on the road and that means we won't either." Lea said.

"You…like being on the road, LeLe?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, of course." Lea said.

"It's fun. We get to go to all sorts of neat places that most people only wish they could see. Plus we get to watch our family work, which most people don't get to do either. And besides, what you guys do is really cool! Even if it is a bit dangerous." Wyatt said.

"You sound like your Mom." Taker said with a laugh.

"I know. But I mean it." Wyatt said.

"We know, Little Man." Angel said.

"Daddy always tells me that what they do is only dangerous when you're not careful about what you're doing." Lea said.

"Daddy's right about that." Angel said.

Just then, Kristy came back into the room, having just gotten off the phone. She seemed happy about something.

"What's up? What did Nattie say?" Angel asked.

"We can stay there till we're done training. But we have to take care of the cats and keep the house clean. And when we leave it has to be the way it was when we went in." Kristy said.

"YAY!" Lea and Wyatt said.

"And we have to buy our own food." Kristy said.

"Wow. They are being harsh." Angel said.

"Baby girl, don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Taker said.

"OK. I guess it's not too harsh. I mean, we are staying there for free pretty much." Angel said.

"I told Nattie I would leave some cash for her and Tyson when we left." Kristy said.

"I'll chip in too. Next time you're talking to her, tell her I say thanks." Angel said.

"I will." Kristy said.

"Does that mean we can leave any time?" Lea asked.

"I think these two are more excited than we are." Angel said.

"It has been a long time since we were on the road. Or did anything that had to do with WWE. We were starting to miss it." Wyatt said.

"Nattie and Ty said to give them a few days and then we can go. She'll call us." Kristy said.

"Works for me." Angel said.

Taker smiled. He hadn't seen Angel this happy in months. He was also glad that things were getting back to normal and that before long, things would be exactly like they were before (minus Angel being able to see of course). He couldn't wait for that and neither could Kristy or Angel.


	16. A New Start

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 16: A New Start**

One week later, Angel, Lea, Kristy and Wyatt stepped into Nattie and Tyson's house. Angel had brought Ozzie along too, with the promise of keeping him in the backyard except for at night and promised that she would clean up after him. They were now in Florida. The next day, they were due to show up in Orlando at the WWE Performance Centre. Hunter was nice enough to give them a day to recover from their jet lag. Lea and Wyatt sat down on the couch. They were both very excited.

"Do we have to wait till tomorrow, Mommy? I wanna see this place now!" Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, don't whine." Kristy said.

"Sorry." Wyatt said.

"Yeah, Wyatt. Angel and Kristy are tired and so am I." Lea said.

"OK, fine." Wyatt said.

"Don't worry, Wyatt. You'll see it tomorrow. One more day isn't going to hurt you." Angel said.

"Wyatt, go and lay down in Nattie and Ty's room for a bit. And don't pull Louis and Mack's tails, understood?" Kristy said.

"OK, Mommy." Wyatt said.

"What about me? Where am I sleeping?" Lea asked with a yawn.

"Nattie set you and Angel up the office. You have roll away beds." Kristy said.

"OK. Can I go and lay down?" Lea asked.

"Lea, you don't have to ask, sweetheart." Angel said.

Lea and Wyatt both got up and went into their respective rooms and went and laid down. Kristy sighed and looked at Angel. Even though Angel couldn't see, she could tell that her friend was feeling stressed.

"What am I going to do with him?" Kristy asked.

"I don't know, girl." Angel said.

"He's never acted this way before." Kristy said.

"You mean excited?" Angel asked.

"No. Not that. That's fine. He's been acting really whinny if he doesn't get his way." Kristy said.

"I think he just wants attention." Angel said.

"I keep thinking about what he's been through. I mean, we're always travelling. He had John for a Dad and then John left me…and then Adam even adopted him and now Adam's gone because the two of us were growing too apart. It's no wonder he's doing this. Sometimes being a Diva and being a Mom at the same time is way too hard. And…sometimes I wish Barrett had have kept his filthy hands off me." Kristy said quietly.

"I know, Kristy. But you did it to save me and I'm grateful for that. I remember how hard it was for you when you got pregnant with him, but you also have said that you wouldn't trade him for anything." Angel reminded her.

"I know. Wait…you remember all that?" Kristy said.

"My memory is pretty much back to what it used to be. Well, minus the last twenty four hours before I got hurt." Angel said.

"You don't remember the day before the accident?" Kristy said.

"Nope. It's a blank. But the point is, yes, I remember all that. You love him and I know you do. He's just having a difficult time right now." Angel said.

"What do I do?" Kristy said.

"Keep being a good Mom. And don't move into another relationship so fast." Angel said.

"Right. I'm going to spend every moment with him that I can when I'm not training." Kristy said.

"That works. It'd make him feel more secure. I think he's afraid that you're going to disappear and that he'll be alone if that happens." Angel said.

"He wouldn't be. He'd have you and the others." Kristy said.

"You still want me as his Godmother?" Angel asked.

"Well, of course." Kristy said.

"But….I'm…." Angel said.

"Look, you're my best friend. Who cares if you're blind?" Kristy asked.

"If you're sure." Angel said.

"I'm positive, Ang. I know you're blind and all, but you're still my best friend. And you're still able to wrestle. And the fans haven't forgotten you, obviously. Otherwise you wouldn't have a huge box of letters and cards and drawings and fan made stuff sitting in a box back home in Houston." Kristy said.

"Yeah, I know." Angel said.

"Then what's the problem?" Kristy said.

"I…just thought everyone would look down on me. Most people do. You know that better than anyone." Angel said, hanging her head.

"The fans would never do that. Look, there's something I've learned over the years of being in the WWE." Kristy said.

"And what would that be?" Angel asked.

"That no matter what happens—whether the fans love us or hate us—the fans stick with us." Kristy said.

"That's true." Angel said.

"So don't worry. It'll all work out." Kristy said.

"I hope so." Angel said.

The next morning, Xander Darke stood in his office at the performance with three of the best guys in NXT. Xander had basically been put in of a lot of the technical stuff and contractual stuff for the brand performance center.

He was 6 feet tall with a medium build and brown eyes. His hair was naturally dark, but he had died it blond. He was also from Britain and had come over to the USA to work for WWE. The three guys standing with him in the office were Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, otherwise known as the Shield and were three top guys in NXT.

Dean was 6 foot 4 with light brown hair and bright blue eyes. He had a medium build and loved what he did, although he tended to do things that were funny and kind of off the wall.

Seth was 6 foot 1 with black hair, part of which was dyed blond, and a full beard. He had dubbed himself the brains of the Shield.

Roman was 6 foot 3 with long black hair and a full beard and brown eyes. He was bigger than both Seth and Dean and was considered to be the Power House of the Trio.

"Hey, Xander, it's not often we get called in here. Is something up?" Seth asked.

"Well, we've got a couple of Divas that are coming in. They used to be on the main roster, but they're coming back to Developmental for retraining." Xander said.

"Who are they?" Roman asked.

"You've heard of them. It's the Dead Girl and the Hart Princess." Xander replied.

"Why do you want _us_ to help _them_? They're the Dead Girl and the Hart Princess for goodness sake. Since when do they need help with stuff?" Dean asked, looking surprised.

"Well, Mr. Smartass, the Dead Girl has a few issues that she's still trying to work out. Besides, I know that you three are my top talent at the moment and I want these two to have the best training that they can get while they're here. Also, my job is on the line here." Xander said, making it seem as though losing his job was a total afterthought.

"OK, we'll help." Roman said.

"We will?" Dean said, while Seth looked at him shocked.

"Yes, we will. Unless you want to keep doing the same thing every week till we get to the main roster." Roman said.

"Point taken." Dean said.

"Not that I won't miss working with you three, but you're ready for the main roster. I have about forty or so e-mails that I've sent to Creative letting them know. This may help you get there." Xander said.

"OK, you've convinced me. I'll help." Dean said.

"Right. Now, on next week's TV, Angel and Kristy will be in the ring doing a comeback promo and the Ascension will come out and then you will do a run in." Xander said.

"Works for me." Dean said.

"Seth too?" Roman asked.

"Yes. Like it or not, you three are in a group. Just do me a favor. Whatever Seth does, make sure the two of you hit your finishers on Konnor and Viktor, OK?" Xander said.

"Sure thing." Dean said.

"I don't help girls." Seth said.

"You do now." Roman said.

"You have to, Seth! Do you want to lose your job?" Dean asked.

"Did I mention that this was per order of the Chairman and not Triple H?" Xander said, glaring at Seth.

"OK. If it's coming from the chairman, then I'll do it. But I don't have to like it." Seth said.

"I knew you'd see it my way. Now, come on. I'll introduce you." Xander said.

The three guys nodded. They left the office and headed toward the lobby. Angel and Kristy were standing there looking kind of lost and Lea and Wyatt were standing there, looking around excitedly. However, when Xander and the three guys approached, Wyatt hid behind Kristy and Lea hid behind Angel. Ozzie sat there patiently, staring at the four guys.

"What's wrong, you two?" Angel asked.

"People are coming." Lea told her.

"Oh." Angel said.

"Hello, Angel and Kristy. Welcome to NXT." Xander said.

"Hi, there. You must be Xander." Kristy said.

"Indeed. I'm in charge of Contracts, Talent, and Technical stuff." Xander said.

"Hi." Angel said.

"I was expecting to see Kristy's son and your sister, Angel. Are they not here?" Xander asked.

"They're a bit scared." Angel said, as Lea peaked out from behind her.

"They don't do so well with strangers." Kristy said as Wyatt looked cautiously at the four men standing in front of them.

"Ah. Well, I assure the two of you that no one here will hurt you." Xander said.

"They won't?" Lea asked.

"Are you sure?" Wyatt asked.

"Positive." Xander said.

"OK." Lea said, stepping out from behind Angel.

"Well, I feel better." Wyatt said, stepping out from behind Kristy.

"I've heard you two have a few reservations about being here in Developmental." Xander said.

"A little bit. So, have we gotten ourselves into trouble already are something?" Angel asked.

"No. Nothing like that. I hear people saying "I'm too good for Developmental" at least four times a month here. This isn't wrestling school, as much as guys sitting in their Mom's basements will quip on social media. This is NXT, the next step in making WWE Legends." Xander said.

"OK, so does it have something to do with the three guys standing behind you right now?" Kristy said.

"These three are my top talent here and I've set them to work with the two of you both on and off TV." Xander said.

"You mean like bodyguards? Great." Angel said, rolling her eyes.

"Not bodyguards, no. They'll train with you. You're both former champions with serious pedigree and can help each other get better. I'm a firm believer that everyone can still learn. I'll have you written together on screen too." Xander said.

"Great." Kristy said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"It's not like we haven't trained with guys before, Kristy. I mean, think about who trained us." Angel said.

"Fair point. So who are you guys?" Kristy said.

"You're looking at the Hounds of Justice, The Shield. I'll let you boys introduce yourself." Xander said.

"I'm Dean Ambrose." Dean said.

"I'm Roman Reigns." Roman said.

"And I'm Seth Rollins." Seth said, sounding angry.

"Don't mind him. He's here because he has to be." Dean said.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, I'll show you around the place. It'll just be a summary of things, but you'll work out where everything is before long. Guys, you're welcome to come along and help with the tour." Xander said.

"Sure. We'll come along." Dean said.

"I'll skip this part. See you guys later." Seth said.

He turned on his heel and walked away. Kristy stared after him. She looked down and saw that Lea and Wyatt were looking at Seth's back, evidently confused.

"Sorry about him. He really doesn't want to be here. He's only here because this is on Vince's orders, so he has no choice. He doesn't want lose his job." Roman said.

"Well, I can see working with him is going to be a blast." Angel said sarcastically.

"He's like that to most people. Anyway, let's take a tour, shall we?" Xander said.

The girls and the two guys nodded. Lea and Wyatt took Angel and Kristy's hands and started to walk around. Xander showed off the promo studio. A room that was like a recording studio except Xander could change the backgrounds and the music playing in the background on the promos. It linked both to Triple H's office and Vince's office back at WWE Headquarters. He showed what it could do off to them and Lea and Wyatt got a few laughs out of it after they told Angel what was in the room since she couldn't actually see it.

Then he took all of them to the Gym. Lea and Wyatt looked around in wonder. There were a ton of treadmills and weights there. Even though Angel couldn't see it, Lea described the room to her. After that, they moved on to the ring room. It was a giant room with four rings it.

"This place is pretty awesome. Rings, a gym, and promo perfecting all in one place! Dean, Roman, you should consider yourselves lucky. Kristy and I had to break into the WWE the hard way because there was no NXT when we started." Angel said.

"Trust me. It's not as easy as it seems to work down here." Roman told her.

"Well, these rings are exactly like the ones we use in our shows. With the exception of this one. It's extra bouncy. Because, frankly, who doesn't want to play with gravity?" Xander said.

"And I assume that it's also safer since it's not hard as rock." Angel said

"What's wrong, Ang? You look worried." Kristy said, catching Angel's expression.

"Just…trying not to think of what's going to happen if I ever happen to hit my head the wrong way." Angel said.

"Don't worry, Angel. You'll be as safe as possible here. We have doctors here for _everything_ you need." Xander reassured her.

"Besides, we'll be careful with you in training." Dean said.

"Yeah. Don't worry. Not to mention, we'll talk to Seth." Roman said.

"And if he's not careful, I'll kick his sorry butt." Kristy said.

"If you get to him before Daddy and Uncle find out, that is." Angel said.

"Lads, care to step in the bouncy ring and show the girls something cool?" Xander asked.

"Sure." Roman said.

"Why not?" Dean said.

They hopped in the ring and put on a fifteen minute or so match. Angel couldn't see what was happening, but she could tell that the ring was pretty much a trampoline by what she could hear. When Dean and Roman finished, they climbed out of the ring. Lea and Wyatt stared at each other with grins on their face.

"Wow. Holy bouncy." Kristy said.

"I couldn't see that, but it still sounded like it hurt. Although, not as much as normal. You guys OK?" Angel said.

"Nah. It didn't hurt at all. We're fine." Dean said.

"Well, I feel somewhat better about this." Angel said.

"You feel like trying it yourself?" Xander asked.

"Um…" Angel said.

"Come on, Ang. Just give it a try." Kristy said.

"Alright. I'll give it a try." Angel said.

Kristy and Angel climbed into the ring. Kristy was right. It was bouncy. They had a ten minute match. Kristy stopped it after the ten minutes was up because she knew Angel wasn't quite used to training and knew she would tire easily. After they finished, they climbed from the ring.

"Well, that was cool." Angel said.

"Yeah, but just because it's bouncy doesn't mean we don't have to be careful." Roman said.

Angel and Kristy nodded in agreement. Just then, Xander's phone went off. He pulled it out and sighed before putting it back again.

"That was the nose. He needs to talk to me about something. Can you and Dean take it from here, Roman?" Xander asked.

"Sure." Dean said.

"Don't worry. Good luck dealing with the boss." Roman said.

Xander rolled his eyes, but walked away. Now that they were alone with Dean and Roman, Lea and Wyatt went back to hiding behind Angel and Kristy. They were evidently a bit afraid of them.

"Hey, you two. You were fine a minute ago. What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"They look scary." Wyatt whispered.

"Big and scary." Lea whispered.

"Don't worry. They won't hurt you." Angel said.

"Yeah. These two wouldn't lay a hand on you." Kristy said.

"Are you sure?" Wyatt said.

"Yeah. Are you sure they won't hurt us?" Lea asked.

"We won't hurt you guys." Dean said.

"We wouldn't hurt two kids. That's just wrong." Roman said.

"OK. Can we go in the bouncy ring?" Wyatt asked.

"Somehow I knew that was coming." Angel said.

"Alright. But be careful." Kristy said.

Lea and Wyatt grinned. They both jumped into the ring and started play wrestling each other. Angel glanced at Kristy and even though she couldn't see, she could tell that Kristy was smiling. It was then that Rollins came back.

"What are they doing?" he asked, nodding at Lea and Wyatt.

"Messing around. They like to test moves on each other." Kristy explained.

"They've been doing it since they were big enough to get in the ring." Angel said.

"Well, get them out of there. The ring is no place for kids!" Seth snapped.

"They're fine, Seth. Angel and Kristy wouldn't let them in there if they weren't sure if it was safe." Roman said.

"You need to lighten up, Seth. You're such a party pooper. Let the kids have some fun." Dean said.

With that, he hopped into the ring along with the two kids. They both stopped what they were doing and stared at him kind of wearily. They weren't sure what he was doing.

"Dean, what are you doing?" Angel asked.

"So, Wyatt, I hear you think you can take me." Dean said.

"Sure I can. My Papa Taker taught me a thing or two." Wyatt answered.

"Excuse me, young man, who taught you a thing or two?" Kristy asked.

"OK so it was Mom, Aunt Angel _and_ Papa Taker, but I can still take you." Wyatt said.

"In that case, bring it on." Dean said.

"Oh, boy…" Angel said.

"Wyatt, be careful." Kristy warned.

"I will, Mommy. Don't worry." Wyatt said.

They watched as Dean and Wyatt had a little match. Then Lea got in on the fun. Wyatt dropkicked Dean and Dean completely sold it and landed on his back. Angel told Lea to climb up on the top rope and jump on him. Lea did so and then the two kids pinned him. Kristy jumped into the ring and counted to three. Wyatt, Dean, and Lea were all laughing and so were Angel and Roman.

"OK, you've had your fun." Seth said.

"Seth, seriously. Relax, man." Dean said.

"Yeah. The girls don't have to start full training till tomorrow. Take a chill pill, man." Roman said.

"What's your problem, Rollins? I mean, really." Kristy said.

"This place is for training, not for little kids to have fun." Seth said.

"You're just a bright little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" Angel asked.

"How did you guys end up working with such a moron?" Kristy asked.

"Eh." Was Dean's response.

"We didn't really have a choice." Roman said.

"Oh, and by the way. When we train with Angel, we have to be careful, understood?" Dean said.

"Why?" Seth asked.

"Because of the accident she had." Roman said.

"You all know about that?" Angel said.

"Everyone does. Even us NXT guys." Dean said.

"It's the WWE. And you know how word spreads." Kristy said.

"Right." Angel said.

"Wow. You really are out of touch." Seth said.

"I was gone for a little over a year, Rollins, of course I'd be out of touch." Angel said.

"By the looks of things, she hasn't missed a step in the ring." Roman said, making Angel blush a little.

"She's always had a natural talent for it." Kristy said.

"You have a natural talent too, Mommy." Wyatt said.

"Krissy and Angel are both natural in the ring. When I was little I used to watch them train. Bret was always so hard on Krissy." Lea said.

"Kristy always worked herself to the bone." Angel added.

"Hold on. So did you." Kristy said.

"Well, yeah, but even when I'd be tired and give in, you'd always run yourself ragged." Angel said.

"Oh, please, you always worked harder than I did." Kristy said.

"You both worked hard. Now stop." Wyatt said.

"Why was Bret so hard on you?" Dean asked.

"Uncle Bret wanted me to be the best so he made me work harder." Kristy answered.

"It's because you're a Hart. He wants you to live up to the name." Angel said, rolling her eyes.

"So you have to live up to the family too, huh?" Roman asked.

"Sadly, yes. I mean, I love my family. At least the ones I can stand." Kristy said.

"Which isn't many." Angel said.

"Are we allowed to ask?" Dean asked her.

"She doesn't like to talk about it." Angel answered.

"Being a Hart is hard enough." Kristy said.

"Even being Undertaker's daughter is easier than being a Hart." Angel said.

"That's true." Kristy said.

"What is that like, anyway?" Roman asked.

"It's not that big a deal, actually. Nothing has happened to me so far in terms of fans mauling me or anything. Although, I have some mighty big boots to fill." Angel said with a laugh.

"At least you only have one to fill. I have three." Kristy said.

"I know how that is. Between my Dad and Uncles, I have three." Roman said.

"Lea and I are gonna have big boots to fill someday too." Wyatt said.

"You two want to be wrestlers?" Dean asked.

"Yep. Angel and Mommy promised that once we got big enough we could." Wyatt told him proudly.

"All they have wanted to do since they were really small is wrestle." Kristy said.

"Yeah. I wanna be just like my big sister." Lea said.

"She's been saying that to me since she learned to talk." Angel said.

"As interesting as this conversation is, can we do something more constructive?" Seth asked.

"Alright, Rollins, since you're so set on doing "something constructive", let's get in this ring and see how you fare against me. Let's see if you are as good as I've heard." Kristy said.

"You're on." Seth said.

Roman and Dean both laughed. They knew how good Kristy was and they knew how good Seth thought he was. The two of them got in the ring and Lea and Wyatt got out. They all watched as Kristy kicked Seth's butt around the ring and finally pinned him after about fifteen minutes. Seth rolled out of the ring and landed at Dean and Roman's feet.

"You just got beaten and pinned by a woman. I think we need more training." Roman said, trying not to laugh.

"Seth, man, she just handed you your ass on a silver platter." Dean said, laughing.

"Shut up!" Seth said.

"Face it, Rollins, you aren't as talented as you thought." Kristy said.

"I am so!" Seth said.

"Prove it. Get in the ring with me." Angel said.

"Are you crazy?!" Seth asked.

"Are you chicken?" Angel asked.

"No! I just don't want to have to beat up on a blind woman." Seth said.

"Just get in the ring, Rollins." Kristy said.

Angel climbed in. Seth climbed in after her and the two started to wrestle. Everything was going perfectly well until Angel got Rollins into the corner. She was punching him when Rollins elbowed her in face, hitting her right in the forehead as hard as he possibly could. Angel landed on her rear end in the ring, looking stunned.

"SETH!" Dean and Roman yelled in unison.

"WHAT PART OF BE CAREFUL WITH ANGEL DON'T YOU GET?!" Kristy shouted.

"I'm fine. But that was weak Rollins." Angel said.

"What do you mean?" Seth asked.

"Your elbow did nothing. You didn't put enough power behind it." Angel said.

"Nice selling, Ang." Kristy said.

"Who are you to be telling me what I need to improve on?" Seth asked.

"I was trained by The Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Kane. They taught me how to do things properly and safely. And showed me the best way to sell things. Put more power behind your elbow next time. Then it'll be easier for the fans to believe that you legitimately hit the person." Angel said.

"Damn, you're being schooled by someone six years younger than you. Not to mention someone of the opposite gender." Dean said.

"He's been schooled by both of them. Kristy kicked his ass." Roman said.

Seth got really mad then. He ran at Angel and clotheslined her so hard, she did a three hundred and sixty degree flip before landing flat on her back. She bounced pretty high on the extra bouncy mat, but it had completely knocked the wind out of her.

"Angel!" Lea said, looking worried.

"Aunt Angel are you alright?" Wyatt asked worriedly.

"I'm fine…I'm fine. Still weak, Rollins." Angel said.

"That was not weak! I flipped you completely around and knocked the wind out of you!" Seth said.

"Seth, Angel has been trained by three guys who have been around WWE for a very long time. I think she knows what she's talking about." Dean said.

"You couldn't even hit me with a decent upper cut. And don't get me started on your missal dropkick." Kristy said.

"Why are you two even down here?! You don't need to be here!" Seth snapped.

He shoved Angel aside and left the training area, looking completely livid at the fact that two women had just not only pinned him, but were telling him how he could improve his skills. Angel sighed.

"Well, he's going to be fun to work with." Angel said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"We've got to deal with that for the next couple of months. Joy." Kristy said.

"He brought up a good point though. How come you guys are down here if you're so good?" Dean asked.

"We wanted to change ourselves up. Plus, Angel and I both feel like being down here would shake off the major ring rust we've got." Kristy said.

"Plus, I'm the one who wanted to come. I thought we could learn something new while we're here." Angel said.

"Ah. Well, that's cool." Roman said.

"It's not going to be cool if Seth's going to be a jerk!" Angel said.

"We'll have a word with him." Dean said.

"Yeah. We'll talk to him." Roman said.

Angel and Kristy nodded. Then they decided to head home and rest up for the day of full training that was starting tomorrow. Lea and Wyatt waved goodbye to Dean and Roman. Then they left, heading back to Nattie and Ty's house. It had been an interesting day, that was for sure.


	17. Learning The Ropes

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 17: Learning The Ropes**

It was one week later and Angel and Kristy were about to make their NXT debuts and they were nervous as heck, even with reassurance from Stephanie that this was a good thing. Angel put on the gear that Kane had gotten her for Christmas that year. It was more like street clothes. It was a black pair of jeans with a tank top with her father's symbol on it, fingerless gloves and a pair of elbow pads and wrestling boots.

"Wow, Ang." Kristy said.

"Do I look OK?" Angel asked.

"You look fine." Kristy said.

"One favour." Angel said.

"You still want the dark circles?" Kristy asked.

"I need to give the fans some little hints of the Dead Girl and I can't exactly do it myself anymore." Angel explained.

Kristy nodded. She put Angel's eye liner on for her. Then she went and got dressed in the clothes that Owen had sent down for her. It was blue jeans, an old Hart Foundation tank top, and black wrestling boots with pink Maple Leafs on it. She quickly changed and stepped out of the bathroom. Angel was looking at herself in the mirror even though she couldn't see.

"You look fine, Ang." Kristy said.

"If you're sure." Angel said.

"I'm sure. Come on, let's go meet up with the guys." Kristy said.

Angel nodded. Then they left the locker room and when and met up with Dean, Seth and Roman, who were waiting around by the curtain with a few of the other NXT Superstars and Divas.

"Wow. So not what I was expecting." Dean said.

"Hey, even we need to change up our characters and such every now and then." Kristy said.

"Did anyone ever tell you two that you're beautiful?" Seth said.

"Rollins, I'm not interested, so you can just back the hell off right now." Angel said.

"If I wanted to be hit on by a rookie, I'd hit on that annoying Bo Dallas before I'd hit on you." Kristy said.

"Ouch." Dean said.

"She just burned you, dude. Like…majorly burned you." Roman said.

"They're just playing hard to get." Seth said with a shrug.

"Somehow I doubt it." Dean said.

"Like we'd ever play hard to get with you!" Kristy and Angel said in stereo.

"Told you, man. You got burned." Roman said.

"So are you two ready?" Dean asked.

"I am." Kristy said.

"I haven't been this nervous since I first started here." Angel admitted.

"We'll be fine, Ang. We're doing this together. Remember, we're always together. No matter what." Kristy said, grabbing her best friend by the hand.

"Are you two always like this?" Seth asked.

"For your information, Rollins, I've been by Angel's side through some of the worst things you could imagine, so why don't you keep your mouth shut?" Kristy asked.

"Can we ask?" Roman asked.

"You'll find out eventually." Angel said, quietly.

"Until that day comes, Angel and I are family. Always have been, always will be." Kristy said.

"Got it." Roman said while Seth rolled his eyes.

"What are you rolling your eyes about?" Kristy asked.

"He just can't stand that he's been told off by two very talented and good looking women." Dean said.

Kristy and Angel laughed. They were watching a monitor to see what was going on in the show. They had Xander put together a video package for them of what they had done in the past and they had recorded the narration for it, alternating lines. It had started to play on the monitor, after which Angel and Kristy were to go to the ring.

 _"You know our families. You know our names. The Dead Girl. The Hart Princess. The Niece. The Daughter. Diva's Champion. Women's Champion. You think you know us. You think you know our past. You think you know our families. But the truth is…you know nothing about us."_

After that, Kristy's new theme music hit. She was no longer using the traditional Hart Family Music. Now she was using _Life Starts Now_ by Three Days Grace. She walked out to the ring and climbed in. She asked for a microphone and then waited. Then, a familiar gong sounded and Angel's music hit. Rather than using her father's music, she was using _So What_ by Three Days Grace. But she had asked that they keep the gong there because the fans were used to it. She got into the ring with Kristy and asked for a microphone.

"They told me that I would never set foot in a WWE ring again." Angel started.

"And if Angel didn't set foot here again, I wouldn't have either." Kristy said.

"When I made the choice to come back to WWE, I wanted to come to NXT. I could have come back and gone to the main roster, but it is different now, so I came here." Angel said.

"And I came here to help her out. Besides, we both had serious ring rust after not being here for fifteen months." Kristy said.

"So here we are, restarting our careers. And this time, no family names." Angel said.

"That's not to say we don't love our families. Of course we do. And they've been nothing but supportive of us! We just felt it was time to carve our own path in WWE…and NXT." Kristy said.

"Put simply, it means no Hart Princess and no Dead Girl…at least for a bit." Angel said.

"For now, I'm just Kristy." Kristy said.

"And for the moment, I'm just Angel." Angel said.

Just then, the music of Kevin Owens, the NXT Champion hit and he stood on the stage. This was immediately followed by the music of Tyler Breeze, the resident NXT pretty boy. Angel and Kristy rolled their eyes. They had heard about both of these guys. Kevin Owens was an arrogant man who thought that being NXT Champion made him able to do what he wanted when he wanted and Tyler Breeze was so self-absorbed that he carried a Selfie Stick to the ring to take pictures of himself. Angel and Kristy rolled their eyes.

"Can we help you, gentlemen?" Angel asked.

"Do you guys need something?" Kristy asked.

"We want to know what you're doing wasting valuable air time when people clearly want to watch the Champion. And of course, me, Tyler Breeze." Tyler said.

"Nobody cares what happened to the two of you and where you've been for fifteen months or who you were. The show should be used for the Superstars and Divas who have worked hard. Like us." Kevin said.

"Worked hard?" Angel asked.

"Like you? Just who are you two?" Kristy asked.

"I'm Kevin Owens and I'm the NXT Champion." Kevin said.

"Oh, so you're the one I've heard about, who thinks that the piece of gold you have allows you to do whatever you want whenever you want no matter the consequences. If I said it was nice to finally meet you, I'd be lying through my teeth." Kristy said.

"And you are?" Angel asked.

"Tyler Breeze." Tyler answered.

"Ah, the loser who's so wrapped up in himself he carries that stupid Selfie Stick to the ring and thinks all the girls want him. If you ask me, you're nothing but a PG Shawn Michaels wannabe. At least Shawn had the Charisma to pull that whole thing off." Angel said.

"Not to mention the hair. You two really think you're something, huh? Coming out here and telling us what to to. A couple of rookies. Well, here is a newsflash, boys. While out there, you might be veterans, here in this ring, you're rookies just like us. You start at the bottom just like us. You start at the bottom and work your way up the ladder." Kristy said.

"Right. That's the way it works here. You can do all the work you want in all the Indy Wrestling you want, but you come here and you're back at the bottom. You're rookies. Hell, we are former Diva's Champions and Women's Champions—not to mention the families from which we come—and we still consider ourselves rookies because we're here." Angel said.

"You don't walk into this company a veteran. You earn that status and the respect that comes with it." Kristy said.

"You two certainly have mouths. And Tyler and I are going to shut them." Kevin said.

"Don't make us laugh." Angel said.

"Please don't," Kristy said.

"We'll see who's laughing when we get through with you." Tyler said.

The two men dropped their microphones and ran for the ring, sliding in under the bottom rope, but before they could so much as lay a hand on the two girls, The Shield came out. They ran into the ring and beat up Kevin and Tyler. It didn't take long for Roman to Spear Kevin into next week and for Dean to hit Dirty Deeds on Tyler. Then to finish it off, The Shield delivered Triple Power Bombs to both of them. Then all five left the ring. Within two seconds, Angel's cell phone rang. Kristy looked at the Caller ID and sighed.

"You'd better answer that. Uncle Taker is probably flipping his lid." Kristy said.

"Right." She said connecting the call and getting Kristy to press the speaker button for her, "Hi Daddy."

 _"Are you two OK?" Taker asked._

"They're fine, Deadman." Dean said.

 _"Who was that?" Taker said._

"That was Dean Ambrose, Daddy. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are here too." Angel said.

"They saved our butts. Plus, Dean and Roman have been showing us the ropes down here. So, relax, Uncle Taker. I can feel your blood pressure rising over there." Kristy said.

"Yeah, Daddy. We're OK. Promise. We've become quick friends with Dean and Roman. They're even helping us with our training." Angel said.

 _"You had better stay just friends with them. At least till the Harts and I meet them." Taker said._

"Daddy!" Angel said, blushing.

"Uncle Taker!" Kristy kinda growled.

 _"Don't you use that tone with me, Kristy Lesley Hart-Smith. I can still ground you, you know." Taker said, chuckling._

"Hello, Uncle Taker, two grown women and a mother over here. Or did you forget?" Kristy said.

"Calm down, Kristy. He's just looking out for us. It's what he does." Angel said.

"Don't worry, Deadman. We'll stay just friends with them." Seth said as Dean and Roman both looked at him with an expression that clearly said "Speak for yourself".

 _"And that must be the jerk who was giving my baby girl a hard time for trying to help him out." Taker said._

"Yeah, that's Seth." Angel said.

"He's annoying as hell, but we make due with him. Dean and Roman are the best though! You should see them, Uncle Taker. They have rare talent. Dean reminds me a lot of Uncle Pillman." Kristy said, making Dean's face go red.

"And Roman is awesome too. He's…kinda like you are, Daddy. Agile for his size and he can do top rope stuff and everything. It's so awesome." Angel said, making Roman's face go red.

 _"Cool. How are Lea and Wyatt handling all this?" Taker asked._

"They love it. At the Development Centre they have this extra bouncy ring and every chance they get they go in it. And Dean and Roman jump in there and they have little matches." Angel said.

"It's really cute. They are so good with them. I've never seen Wyatt and Lea having more fun." Kristy said.

 _"Well, that's good. Give them both a hug for me. And sorry I called, but Owen was all worried about Kristy." Taker said._

"It's OK, Daddy. Tell him to relax. The Shield will look after us. Or at least Dean and Roman will. Seth….is questionable." Angel said.

 _"What?" Taker asked._

"Look, Deadman, I'm only here because Vince was the one that arranged all this." Seth said.

 _"Well, Seth, if anything happens to those two because of you, rest assured, you won't be walking around very long because I will sign, seal and personally deliver your death warrant!" Taker said anger creeping into his voice more and more as he spoke._

"OK, Uncle Taker. Relax. We can handle him." Kristy said.

 _"OK. I'll talk to you later. And I love you both." Taker said._

"Bye, Daddy. Love you too." Angel said.

"Bye, Uncle Taker. Give Uncle Bret and Uncle Owen a hug for me. And I love you too." Kristy said.

 _"Will do. Bye." Taker said._

He hung up and Angel flipped her phone shut. Roman, Dean and Seth looked at both of them as if they couldn't believe that that call had actually just happened.

"Wow. The Deadman has a huge heart. It's kinda weird." Seth said.

"Maybe to you it is. Makes sense to me." Roman said.

"Me too." Dean said.

"Uncle Taker is a good man. He just can't show it in the ring too much. God forbid he show his human side." Kristy said.

"And Seth, in case you have any doubt, I can tell you for sure that he meant what he said. If anything happens to Kristy and I because of you, he'll come here and he'll beat you to within an inch of your life." Angel said.

"If that ever happens, can we watch?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, we can even bring popcorn." Roman chuckled.

"Hey, by the way, where are Lea and Wyatt anyway? We thought they'd be here." Dean said.

"Nah. We left them at home with a sitter. They wanted to come but given that we don't know the Superstars and Divas of NXT all that well, we didn't think it was a good idea." Angel said.

"Probably a good idea." Roman said.

"Yeah. Especially with Owens running around." Dean said.

"Speaking of him, you were in the Indies awhile, Dean. Did you ever work with him?" Kristy asked.

"Never met the guy until we came here. Probably a good thing." Dean said.

"Did you work in the indies you two?" Angel asked Seth and Roman.

"I was in the indies for six years before I got here in twenty-ten." Seth said.

"I played football and when that didn't go anywhere, I came here. A couple months after Seth actually." Roman said.

"And I spent ten years in the indies before getting here in April of twenty-eleven." Dean said.

"Kristy and I got sorta lucky, given that we were born into it. Although, until I was sixteen, I had no clue." Angel said.

"Watch how much you tell, Ang." Kristy said.

"I think we can trust Dean and Roman, Kristy. And as for you, Rollins, if you tell anyone any of what I'm about to say, Dad will be the least of your problems. And I guarantee that I mean that." Angel said, glaring at Seth as she spoke.

"Just the gist of it for now." Kristy said.

"Oh, fine." Angel said.

"So, what's up?" Dean asked.

"Three days after I was born, Mom gave me up for adoption. I was raised in Kristy's hometown by Amber and Jason Clarke. Things were….let's just say my childhood wasn't the typical carefree one that you'd think a child would have." Angel said.

"It wasn't?" Roman asked looking worried.

"No. It wasn't. I was abused by Jason. It went on from the time I was two until I was sixteen when I found out the truth. Hence, why I had no clue I was born into wrestling at the time." Angel said.

"How come Taker and your Mom didn't try to get you back?" Dean asked, looking stunned.

"Well, Daddy didn't know. It's kind of a long story, but I'll sum it up as quickly as I can. Mom came from the same kind of childhood as I did. Except her Mom was the abusive one. She went to her Mother with the news she was pregnant and they had a fight. It scared Mom so bad she didn't tell Daddy she was pregnant. She was afraid of what he'd do. So…she gave me up. And then…two weeks after I was born, she was hit by car and passed away." Angel said.

"The same woman who caused the accident. She's rotting in jail now though." Kristy said.

"Oh, my God." Dean and Roman said at the same time, wrapping Angel in a hug.

"Thanks, guys." Angel said.

"Oh, please. Make me throw up, why don't you guys?" Seth said.

Angel pulled herself free. Then she reached up and slapped Seth across the face. Then she stormed off, going back to the locker room. Kristy glared at Seth before walking away. Dean and Roman turned and glared at him.

"What the hell, man?" Dean asked.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Roman asked almost at the same time.

"You two are falling for them!" Seth said.

"So what if we are?! You could have shown Angel some compassion, you jerk. That can't have been easy for her to go through! Her childhood was worse than mine for god's sake." Dean snapped.

"Not to mention that you could be nicer to them. I don't want Undertaker and Bret Hart coming in here and ripping my head off. Especially considering Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith would be right behind them." Roman said.

"So? Haven't you guys realized that we don't need them? We don't need to be looking after a couple of girls. And they don't need to be a part of the Shield either. We were just fine before they came along. All they're going to do is ruin it. Admit it, you two, you're doing this to get to the main roster faster." Seth said.

"Of course not! Look, Seth, Kristy and Angel are talented women. They know how to do their jobs and they aren't like the so called Divas down here. They know about the main roster. They know what it's like to train and be trained like a real wrestler. So back the hell off!" Dean snapped.

"See? You're falling for them and you've only known them for a little over a week." Seth said.

"And how is that your business?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. So what if we are? What do you care?" Dean asked.

"I care because Angel is disabled. I mean, she can't even see what you look like, man. And Kristy….well, she's been around. She went from Barrett, to Cena, to Edge. You can do better, Dean. Kristy's nothing but a whore." Seth said.

"Kristy is not a whore! And from what I overheard from Triple H, she was raped by Barrett. They never had a relationship. So whoever you heard all this from needs to check their facts! And frankly, you need to shut your mouth before you say the wrong thing." Dean said.

"A bit late for that. And as for Angel not being able to see what I look like….her physical eyes might not work, but I'm sure the one in her mind does." Roman snapped at him.

"You two are so freaking blind. I mean, a slut and a blind girl." Seth said.

Just then, the lights right above Seth's head shattered, raining glass down on him. Dean and Roman looked at each other. They had no idea what that was about. Seth looked around, but there was no one there but them. Roman and Dean really wanted to do something to him, but instead they decided to go to the locker room and check on Angel and Kristy. They knocked on the door. When Kristy opened it, she looked really upset.

"What's the matter?" Dean asked.

"Angel's locked herself in the washroom and she won't come out. She just keeps telling me to go away. Seth really upset her, I think." Kristy said.

"Was she the one who made the lights go weird just now? They flickered and then the glass shattered and fell on Seth." Roman said.

"Yeah, that was her." Kristy said.

"Can I try to talk to her? I can sort of relate to her background." Dean said.

"Sure. Good luck though." Kristy said.

Dean nodded. He didn't even knock on the door. He just walked in. He found Angel sitting there with her knees up to her chest and her head resting on them. Dean walked over and sat in front of her. He didn't say anything. He waited for Angel to acknowledge him somehow.

"I know you're there, Ambrose. I just want to be left alone right now." Angel said.

"Hate to say this, Angel, but I'm not going anywhere. So one of two things is going to happen. I'm going to sit here with you until you're ready to come out of the bathroom and talk or you can talk to me and sort things out now." Dean said.

"Rollins is a pain in the ass! He doesn't understand anything! Kristy is the only person besides Dad and Lea that has stood by me. Sure we fight and we've lived apart, but we never stay mad at each other long and we're never apart very long. He just doesn't get it." Angel said.

"Seth doesn't understand that and he frankly doesn't care about it. He's just an asshole." Dean said.

"You don't really understand either. You don't get what it's like to live in a home where you practically have to walk on eggshells!" Angel said.

"I understand better than you might think." Dean said.

"How could you?" Angel asked.

"I grew up in a bad part of Cincinnati, Ohio. We never had much. I know all about abuse. I can relate to you." Dean said.

"Really?" Angel asked.

"Honestly. You're not alone as you might think, Angel. I got into wrestling when I was a kid because I could watch it and completely forget about what was happening for a few hours." Dean said.

"You did that too, huh?" Angel asked.

"I had to have something to help me cope." Dean said.

"I had wrestling. And…art. I used to draw a lot. I've got a box full of sketch books at home that's just filled with drawings. Not to mention my bedroom walls are wallpapered with it." Angel said.

"You can draw, huh? Can you still do it?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Angel asked.

"Well, Seth said something about how you don't know what we look like. Think you can prove him wrong on that?" Dean asked.

"Sure." Angel said.

"And do you think you could draw me a picture of Kristy. I mean, I know what she looks like, but…" Dean said.

"Sure, Dean. No problem." Angel said with a grin.

"Did you even bring your art stuff with you, Ang?" Kristy asked.

"I carry it everywhere. It's sort of become a habit." Angel said, standing up.

She walked from the washroom to the couch. Kristy helped her set out her stuff on the table. Angel picked up a pencil and Kristy started describing what Dean looked like to her. A few minutes later, Angel looked up from the paper. Dean was shocked. Then Kristy did the same thing for Roman. It took a few minutes, but when Angel finished, Roman's mouth fell open.

"How the heck did you manage that?" he asked after a minute.

"Kristy told me how tall you were and what length your hair was and then I just went from there." Angel said.

"That's amazing." Dean said.

"He'd better believe us." Roman said.

"Is he the type of guy that has to have proof for these sorts of things?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. How come?" Roman asked.

"Because I've got proof of my abuse if he really feels as though he needs to see proof." Angel said bitterly.

"Let's hope he doesn't because if he does, his head will meet my hand and his head will spin around." Kristy said.

"She means that. Ask anyone who's been slapped by her." Kristy said.

"Hm. I'd like to see that so part of me is hoping he asks." Dean said with a laugh.

"Same here." Roman said.

"Thanks, by the way, Angel." Dean said.

"For what?" Angel asked.

"For trusting Dean and I enough to tell us these things." Roman said.

"It's not like you to spill your guts about the stuff that happened in your past, Ang. So for me this is odd." Kristy said.

"There's something about these two. I feel like I can trust them. But from now on, if you two want to know anything about me, please wait until Seth is not around in order to ask, OK? I don't trust him as far as I can throw the man." Angel said.

"Sounds like a fair deal to me." Roman said.

"You two should count yourselves lucky. Trust doesn't come easily to Angel. It even took her a long time to trust me." Kristy said.

"Given her background, I'm not surprised that trust is an issue. In the past, trust equalled hurt, am I right?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. It did. Hm. I take back what I said earlier, Dean. You do understand." Angel said.

"Can ask you something, Angel?" Roman asked.

"Ask me whatever you want, just make sure you want to know the answer, first." Angel said, making Roman laugh.

"The light thing, earlier. They flickered and then shattered right over Seth's head. Kristy said that it was you. What the heck did you do?" Roman asked.

"Ah. That. Well, you've both seen the sort of…odd things my Dad does…right?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Turning the lights on and off. The lighting. All that stuff." Dean said.

"Well, it goes beyond that, but yeah. You get the gist. Anyway, I have all that stuff too. I got a little angry tonight and kind of…let a little bit of my powers out." Angel said.

"What do you mean it goes beyond the lighting and stuff?" Dean asked.

"Well, I can pick you up off the floor without laying a hand on you." Angel said.

"This I have to see." Roman said.

Angel grinned. She stared at Dean for a second before rolling her eyes back into her head just like Taker did. Dean was stunned when he felt his feet leaving the floor. Angel lifted him all the way to the ceiling before setting him back down carefully. Dean just stared at her in shock. Roman laughed at him.

"Be thankful I didn't just blink while I had you up at the ceiling, otherwise you would have hit the ground….really hard." Angel said.

"Well…next time you get mad at him, feel free to bounce Seth around like a ping pong ball." Roman said.

"I would, but then I'd have to answer a bunch of questions." Angel said.

"It'd be worth it to see him scared out of his mind." Kristy said.

"Well, that's true." Angel said.

"Anything else cool you can do?" Dean asked.

"Well, I have a telepathic link to Daddy, Kane, and Lea. And…I can see ghosts. Well, not just any ghosts. Just the ones who are important to me, like my Mom and Grandmother, Leanna." Angel said.

"How does the link work?" Roman asked.

"If I roll my eyes back and concentrate hard enough I can call for help. Although, it's not the easiest thing to do when I'm in trouble." Angel said.

"That's a bit on the creepy side." Dean said.

"I don't use it much." Angel said.

"Oh. You don't?" Roman asked.

"Not unless Kristy and I are in a jam and there's no other way out of it. Then I will." Angel said.

"Ah. An emergencies only sort of thing." Dean said.

"Ang, I don't understand. You…trust them." Kristy said.

"Let's just say someone is in my ear, telling me it's safe." Angel said.

"Huh?" Roman asked.

"You guys can't see it, but my Mom is standing right beside me, telling me not to worry and that you and Dean can be trusted." Angel said.

"I didn't know she could do that." Kristy said.

"Neither did I, but apparently she can. And honestly, I'm not going to question it." Angel said.

Kristy nodded. She wasn't going to question her Aunt Beth either. Just then, there was a knock on the door and Seth walked in. Angel cringed as her Mother started to yell at him. Luckily, she managed to hold in her laughter, but she looked at Kristy and raised her eyebrows, telling her that Beth had gone from calm to angry. The first thing Roman and Dean did was show Seth Angel's drawings of them. Seth sighed, but didn't apologize to Dean or Roman. He clearly didn't like the girls.

"Is there something we can help you with, Seth?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. You Hardy wannabe." Kristy said.

"Hardy wanna be?" Roman asked.

"Huh?" Dean asked, confused.

"It means he's trying to be like Jeff Hardy with the hair." Kristy said.

"Oh." Replied Roman.

"I'm here to get these two." Seth said.

"We're not kids, Seth. We'll leave when we're damn good and ready." Dean said.

"Yeah, Seth. You'll have to wait. We're talking to the girls." Roman said.

"Are you talking about anything interesting?" Seth asked.

"Nothing that I'd tell you." Angel snapped at him.

"Just get out, Rollins. You're not wanted here, so just go." Kristy said.

"Unless you want to tell Kristy and Angel what you were saying earlier. You know, since you know things about them and all." Dean said.

"Yeah, why don't you go ahead and tell them what you know about them. I'm sure they'd love to know." Roman added.

"Fine! I will! I know that these two are completely falling for you after only a week and that we don't need to be body guards to a couple of girls! We don't need you in the Shield either. We were fine before you got here and you're just going to ruin it! Besides, these two are my best friends and they can do a whole lot better than the two of you!" Seth snapped.

"And what about the other stuff?" Roman asked.

"Angel, you're disabled. You're a black mark here in WWE and you never should have come back here! Kristy, you're nothing but a whore! You went from Barrett, to Cena, and then to Edge. And now you're going to jump all over Dean! And they're so blinded that they can't see it!" Seth snapped.

Angel growled under her breath and rolled her eyes back. She lifted Seth up to the ceiling much like she had done to Dean earlier, however, this landing was going to be anything but gentle. She blinked, breaking her eye contact and causing Seth to fall to the floor with a thud.

"OW!" he shouted.

"You no good lousy son of a bitch! For your information, the WWE is the only place I want to be because it's the only place I know for sure I belong! I know I can wrestle and I know I can do it right! You know why? Because for twelve years of my life I was beaten. I was starved. I was called everything you can possibly think of. I was told I couldn't do anything right! And if you want proof just take a look!" Angel snapped.

With that, she turned around and pulled her tank top up over her head. She heard Dean, Roman, and Seth all gasp and Kristy knew what she had done. She had shown them the scars on her back that she had gotten from a belt attack at the age of four. It was the whole reason the fans never saw Angel in belly tops or backless tops like the other Divas.

"Nice going, you son of a bitch!" Kristy yelled.

She slapped Seth in the face with all the strength she could muster and then ran into the washroom and shut the door. Angel pulled her shirt back down and turned back around to see Dean and Roman staring at her wide eyed.

"Angel….did…did your adopted Dad do that to you?" Roman asked.

"If he did, he's going to wish he was dead." Dean said.

"Yes, Roman, he did do that to me. I was four. And Dean, prison inmates already beat you to the punch. He was murdered in jail while serving a life sentence for abusing me...and Amber, and my adopted Mom." Angel whispered, trying to relax.

"Calling Kristy a whore was wrong, Seth! She never slept with Barrett! He raped her! She only dated Edge and Cena, she never ever slept with them! Her whole innocence was stolen by that British son of a bitch!" Angel snapped.

"Angel, can I ask something? How long ago did this happen?" Roman asked.

"It was just after Wrestlemania Twenty-Six, so…April twenty-ten." Angel said.

"And…how old is Wyatt exactly?" Roman asked.

"He was born in December twenty ten, so….he's six. He's about a year younger than Lea. Why?" Angel asked.

"May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December." Roman said, counting the months on his fingers.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Dean yelled, putting it together quickly.

"Barrett is Wyatt's biological father!" Roman said.

"Unfortunately." Angel said.

"Does Wyatt know?" Dean asked.

"We told him. So yeah. He knows." Angel said.

"Does Kristy ever talk about it?" Roman asked.

"Not really. She did a lot at first. But…she hasn't in a long time. She's pretty much accepted that it happened. She always says that regardless of the circumstances, she wouldn't trade Wyatt for anything in the world. He's part of the reason why she and Adam split up. Adam being off filming Haven and not being there with him and Kristy was making him miserable and she knew it." Angel said.

"Wow." Dean said.

"She's put Wyatt first from the day he was born. He's the most important person in her life. I'm second and you know what? I'm fine with that." Angel said.

"You are?" Seth asked.

"Yes, because unlike you, blatant selfishness has never been part of my personality!" Angel snapped at him.

"She's a good mother. I noticed that from the start." Roman said.

"Yeah, she's a good mother and Wyatt seems like such a great kid." Dean said.

"How would you know, Dean? You haven't known her that long." Seth snapped.

"Because I can tell, you idiot. Kristy is a sweet girl, if you'd just give her a chance! Not to mention, she's very talented and a good Mother to a little boy who is very cool, so back the hell off." Dean snapped right back.

"Well, what about the little Brat that runs around with you?" Seth asked, looking at Angel.

"Her name is Lea. She's my sister, but I might as well have been her Mother! My adopted Dad forced my adopted Mom to have her. And after years of abuse, Lea's birth was too much and she passed away. I was left to take care of Lea, do housekeeping, cook food, and be a student all at once. I did it somehow. He blamed Lea for Amber's death, but I bore the brunt of the abuse for that because he didn't want to hurt her." Angel snapped at him.

"Not to mention, I get the feeling Kristy helped you a lot during that time." Dean said.

"Let's put it this way. If it wasn't for Kristy and my hard headed stubbornness, I wouldn't be here." Angel whispered.

"Which is a good thing." Roman said.

"Should one of us go and check on Kristy? She's been quiet in there for too long." Dean said.

Angel nodded. She walked over to the bathroom and opened the door. Then she closed it again. Kristy was sitting there with her hearing aids in her hand, looking down at the floor. Tears were rolling down her face. Angel knelt down.

 **I still know how to do this you know even if I can't see. You don't have to hide in here. Angel signed.**

"Yes…I do. I…can't face them. Not…after…not…after that." Kristy said.

 **After what?**

"After…that…that thing…called me a whore. I swear…you'd think…you'd think…people would…know the truth by now." Kristy said.

 **Kristy, listen, Dean and Roman don't care. Do you want to know what they said? They said you're a good mother. Dean even said you're a sweet girl and he wishes that asshole would give you a chance. He even said you're talented. And I'm sure he thinks you're good looking. Angel signed.**

"He…said…all that…?" Kristy asked.

 **Yes, he did. He was the one who suggested someone come and check on you. I did it because they don't know about you being deaf. They both know the truth and so do you. Who cares what that asshole says? We all know what really happened. Angel signed.**

"I know…Ang…it just hurts…still…you know?" Kristy said.

 **I would imagine it does. Angel signed.**

"Why…does he…hate us?" Kristy asked.

 **You would have to ask him that, Kristy. I would imagine that it has something to do with him being stuck with us by force. Now, come on out. Dean and Roman are worried about you. Angel signed.**

"OK…" Kristy said.

She put her hearing aids back in and stood up. Angel opened up the bathroom door. To their shock, Seth was gone and Dean and Roman were sitting there smiling. They had no idea what had happened, but they were glad he wasn't there anymore.

"Are you OK?" Dean asked.

"Better." Kristy said.

"You were awful quiet in there." Roman said.

"There's…a reason for that…" Kristy said quietly, looking at them worriedly.

"Oh. What is it, Kristy?" Roman asked.

"Well, it's….I'm…I'm deaf." Kristy whispered.

"You are? But that's not possible." Dean said.

Kristy sighed and reached up and pulled out her hearing aids. She held them out to Dean and Roman so that they could see what they were. Both of them looked at each other and then looked at Kristy stunned. She slipped them back in.

"How is that possible?" Roman asked.

"They aren't sure what happened, but when I was small my Mom left me unattended in the bathtub for over an hour while she talked on the phone. I got really sick. I was deaf after that. I kind of remember being able to hear and suddenly I couldn't anymore." Kristy said.

"But how can you wrestle?" Dean asked curiously.

"I use my eyes, silly. And when the ref makes a count, I feel the vibrations in the mat so I know when to kick out. Or when someone taps or when I get a pin fall." Kristy said.

"And then usually I come running out to tell her that the crowd is cheering for her since she can't hear it herself. Promos are different. She can wear her hearing aids when she does those." Angel said.

"Wow." Dean said, "That's amazing."

"Your other senses improve once you lose one." Angel said with a shrug.

"Like Angel's ears are really good now. No one who knows her can mumble stuff under their breath anymore because she can hear it." Kristy said with a laugh.

"By the way, where did Seth run off to?" Angel asked.

"We told him we'd meet him at the hotel later. We also told him he had three choices: make the best of the situation, leave the Shield, or go to Vince and complain and risk getting fired. He said he'd try to make the best of the whole thing because he likes being in the Shield and he doesn't want to lose his job." Dean said.

"Well, if he's willing to make the best of it, then so are we. But are we gonna get an apology at least?" Angel asked.

"He said he had some thinking to do." Roman told them.

"In that case, don't be surprised if you smell wood burning when you get back to the hotel." Angel said.

Dean and Roman laughed. Angel sat down and drew a picture of Kristy for Dean because she had promised him that she would. Then the two of them said goodbye and left the locker room. Angel and Kristy showered and changed into street clothes. Then they left and headed back to Nattie and Ty's house and paid the sitter. Lea and Wyatt were already fast asleep, so Kristy and Angel changed into pyjamas and headed off to bed. Both of them felt drained. It had been a long night.


	18. More Training

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 18: More Training**

Three months later, Angel and Kristy were still at the Development Centre. They had done really well training with Dean, Roman, and Seth. They were even getting along better with Seth now. Even though he still wasn't happy about this little arrangement, he promised that he would at least try and make the best of it by agreeing to be civil to them and not getting so upset when all they were trying to do was help him out. They started out every training session with Lea and Wyatt getting in the extra bouncy ring with Dean and Roman and having some fun.

Then they would work out for an hour, train for an hour and then take a break, during which time Angel would take Ozzie-who she always brought along to the Development Centre to help her get around easier-outside and then they would all sit and talk for the rest of the time while Seth usually wandered off to do his own thing.

Every week, they wrestled on the NXT TV show. They had even helped out a few of the Divas down there with their training and found that a lot of them were really nice. They got along really well with Charlotte, Emma, Bailey, Sasha Banks and Paige, occasionally training with them and hanging out with them after NXT shows. Surprisingly, Sami Zayne and Finn Balor got along with the girls as well. They had heard how Seth had treated them both of the guys had come to their defense.

The girls and The Shield were in the ring area of the Development Centre and Lea, Wyatt, Roman and Dean were having their usual morning fun when they heard and unexpected voice from behind them.

"Well, that looks like it's a lot of fun." It said.

Everyone turned and looked to see who had spoken. To their surprise, Davey, Owen, Bret and Taker stood there. All of them were smiling. What was more, they all looked in great shape. Even Davey looked good, considering he was retired. Davey was the one who had spoken.

"PAPA DAVEY! PAPA TAKER! OWEN! BRET!" Wyatt shouted, sliding from the ring and running over to them.

"DADDY!" Lea shouted, following his lead.

The two kids hugged the adults, looking happy to see them. Wyatt explained in a very serious tone that this was the way they started off every morning since it was alright to have fun every now and then. Then he explained that his Mom was spending all the time she could with him when she wasn't training and he was happier now then he had been when Adam was around.

"Daddy, Uncle Owen, Uncle Bret, Uncle Taker. What are you doing here?" Kristy asked, hugging the four men.

"Not that we aren't happy to see you guys, but you could have called us!" Angel said, hugging them.

"But that would have ruined the surprise." Owen said.

"So, are you going to introduce us?" Bret asked.

"Oh! Right. These three are Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. Otherwise known as the Shield. Guys, this is…well, our family pretty much. Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, and Undertaker." Angel said.

"Four of the biggest names in the company and the men who raised Angel and I." Kristy said.

"Nice….nice to meet you, Mr. Harts. Mr. Smith. Mr. Undertaker. I'm….uh…I'm Dean Ambrose." Dean said.

"Dean, are you alright?" Angel asked.

"I…uh…well, a bit star struck, Angel. Bret was….well, he was my hero when I was a kid." Dean said, blushing a bit.

"I'm Roman Reigns." Roman said.

"We know who you are, Roman. Your Dad was one of the best tag team wrestlers there ever was." Bret said.

"Not mention your Uncles, who were some of the best." Owen said.

"Thanks." Roman said.

"So, I'm guessing that this is Seth Rollins, huh?" Taker said, looking him over.

"That would be me." Seth said.

"The so called golden boy that Hunter has his eye on." Davey said.

"Isn't he the jerk who was giving Angel and Kristy a hard time when they first got here?" Owen asked, looking unusually angry.

"That's the one." Bret said.

"Don't worry about it, you guys. It's all worked out. He's actually not so bad now." Angel said.

"Annoying at times, but he's OK." Kristy said.

"So what are you doing here?" Lea asked.

"We came to visit you, of course." Taker said.

"And to meet Dean and Roman." Owen said.

"And to see this place. You know, we didn't have this when we were all training." Davey said.

"We didn't even have it when we started training the first time around. It wasn't around yet." Angel said.

"No. We worked out in Uncle Taker's basement." Kristy said.

"Yep. I did that before we came here too. I…wanted to make sure I could keep up with you guys." Angel said.

"You would have been able to keep up with us anyway. Especially him." Kristy said, pointing her thumb at Rollins.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Seth asked.

"Uh, that you weren't all that great when we first got here?" Angel said.

"In fact, when we first got here, you called me a whore." Kristy said.

"And you said that I was a black mark on WWE because I was blind and I should never have come back here." Angel said.

"Not to mention, you got all pissed when the girls tried to help you." Dean said.

"I know. I know. But…" Seth started.

"But what?" Owen asked.

"And you didn't like Lea or Wyatt either. Not to mention you said Kristy dated Barrett when she didn't!" Roman said.

"Hey, that's just what I heard! And…I just wasn't happy with this whole idea is all, so I was being a jerk." Seth said.

"You were being way more than a jerk to them, Seth." Dean said.

"He's right. You were being a complete ass to them, man. If it hadn't come from Vince for us to help them, then you'd have walked out and lost your job." Roman added.

"Look, I know I was stupid, alright?" Seth said.

"You were more than stupid." Davey said.

"You hurt our girls." Bret said.

"You're lucky that we weren't here when you did all that, boy. Because if we had been, you wouldn't be standing." Taker said.

"We told you." Dean and Roman said in stereo.

"OK, you guys were right! Geez! Get over it!" Seth said.

"I like these guys." Owen said.

"So, Dean, Kristy says that you remind her of our friend, Brian Pillman." Davey said.

"Yeah. I guess I can get a bit crazy sometimes." Dean said.

"A bit…" Kristy said, while Angel giggled.

"Sometimes?" Roman asked.

"Don't be so modest, Dean." Seth said.

"You should see him. Uncle Pillman would love him. Not to mention he tends to act like another Uncle of mine." Kristy said.

"I wonder who she could be talking about." Taker chuckled.

"No idea." Owen said.

"So, other than Seth, I imagine things have been good down here?" Bret asked.

"Aunt Angel and Mommy are more awesome than they were before!" Wyatt told him in a serious tone.

"I'm sure they are." Bret said.

"Well? What are you two waiting for? Let's see." Taker said.

"I knew that was coming." Angel said with a sigh.

"Yep. Come on, Ang. Dean, Roman, you two up for a little mixed tag action?" Kristy asked.

"Sure." Dean said.

"Let's do it." Roman said.

The four of them got into the ring and decided that Kristy and Angel would start things off. The two of them locked up and Angel Irish Whipped Kristy into the corner. Then she ran at her and did a clothesline. Kristy fought back and backed Angel into the opposite corner and then climbed up and readied Angel for a superplex, which she hit perfectly. Taker cringed a bit as Angel hit the mat. Everyone watched intently. The match was evenly fought, but in the end, Kristy and Dean ended up winning thanks to Dirty Deeds and the Sharpshooter.

"Wow. It's amazing what Kristy can do when she's not being pressured. That was great." Davey said, looking at Bret.

"You four are great." Taker said.

"What about me?" Seth asked.

"Seth, no offense, but Kristy and I don't even break a sweat when we train with you." Angel told him.

"How about you show us what you can do, kid? Baby girl, wanna help him out?" Taker asked.

Angel nodded. She got back into the ring and Seth stepped in. The whole match was going fine until Seth did his elbow from the corner again. This time, he struck Angel in the forehead with all the strength he could possibly put behind it. It knocked her flat on her back. Then he picked her up and clotheslined her. She flipped around and landed on her stomach. Seth followed that up with his finisher, the Curb Stomp. Angel didn't move and when Taker tried to get her attention, Angel didn't answer. Everyone grew worried. Roman slid into the ring and rolled Angel onto her back. Seth had knocked her out cold.

"SETH!" he shouted.

"YOU DUMBASS! YOU DO NOT USE THAT MOVE ON HER!" Dean shouted.

"Ang! Ang, come on. Wake up, Ang." Kristy cried as she dove into the ring.

"Here." Owen said, handing Roman a cold water bottle.

Roman sighed and opened it. He poured it on Angel's face and hoped it would work. Sure enough, Angel stirred. She opened her eyes, but didn't get up.

"Ang, are you OK?" Kristy asked.

"The room is going in circles. I'm just gonna lay here till it stops, OK?" Angel said.

"How can you tell?" Roman asked.

"This may sound odd, but I can feel it spinning around. Until it stops, I'm not moving." Angel told him.

"SETH…YOU…YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Kristy yelled.

"YOU KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN TRAINING WITH ANGEL BECAUSE OF HER ACCIDENT! AND THAT MEANS NO STUPID CURB STOMPS! IF SHE HITS HER HEAD THE WRONG WAY, SHE COULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT!" Roman yelled at him.

"NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU COULD DO MORE DAMAGE OR WORSE! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" Dean asked.

"We were having a match…it…was an instinct thing…I…didn't think." Seth said.

"You never think, you idiot. Because you're a few fries short of a happy meal!" Kristy snapped.

"Uh oh." Dean said.

"Does she always get this upset when you get hurt?" Roman asked Angel.

"Yeah." Angel said, trying to find a way to make the room stop going in circles.

"She also starts sounding like someone from her favorite show when she gets angry." Davey said.

"Aunt Angel, are you going to be OK?" Wyatt asked, worriedly.

"As soon as the room stops spinning, I'll be fine." Angel reassured him.

"Seth, you're mean." Lea said.

"I'm going to be having a serious talk with Hunter about you, boy." Taker growled.

"Might want to go all the way to the top with this one, Uncle Taker. Seth is Hunter's golden boy." Kristy said.

"Right. I'm talking to Vince. If you're lucky, I might tell him not to fire you." Taker growled.

"We might want to get Angel to one of the doctors here and have her checked over." Roman said.

"I'm not moving! The room is spinning so fast I think I'm going to throw up. Not to mention my head is killing me." Angel said.

"I'll go and get Sampson. I'm sure he's around." Dean said.

He left. Roman propped Angel up on his arm so that she was sitting up a little bit. She had her eyes closed, but she was still talking so she wasn't unconscious or anything.

"I hope you're happy with yourself, Rollins." Owen said.

"You knew not to do that and you still did it anyway!" Lea snapped.

"Wait…what was he told?" Bret said.

"To be careful with Angel because of the accident." Wyatt said.

"Xander told all three of them that from day one." Kristy said.

"Even Dean and I told him he had to be careful." Roman said, glaring at Seth.

"We did. Roman and I are always careful." Dean said.

Everyone jumped. No one had heard him come back. Doctor Sampson was with him. He climbed into the ring. Roman, Dean and the others explained what had happened and Angel explained that she couldn't stand up because the room was spinning so fast she felt like she was going to throw up and that her head was killing her. He checked her over quickly. She looked perfectly fine.

"Everything looks OK. You're not showing any symptoms of a concussion, Angel. But since you're so dizzy and your head hurts, I'd go to the hospital, just to make doubly sure that you didn't reinjure your head." Sampson told her.

"Should we call someone to take her or should we take her on our own?" Roman asked.

"No ambulances! No hospitals! I'll be fine!" Angel said.

"Angel, you can't even stand up, kiddo." Bret said.

"Let me guess, Angel hates ambulances and hospitals?" Dean asked.

"And Doctors, paramedics, and social workers too." Kristy said.

"Kristy…" Taker warned.

"Calm down, Daddy. He knows. So does Roman. And so does dingus over here!" Angel said.

"Aunt Beth says we can trust Roman and Dean. She did warn us about Seth though." Kristy said.

"And at the moment, she's not helping my headache any because she's yelling at him." Angel said.

"Aunt Beth, stop please. We know he's a jerk, but please, stop yelling." Kristy whispered.

"Mom, please. My head hurts enough. Yell at him tonight." Angel said, laughing as she heard Beth's answer.

"What did she say?" Taker asked.

"She was like "Hm. That's a better idea. Thanks, Angel Baby." And now she's calmed down." Angel said.

"Come on, Angel. We know you don't like hospitals, but we need to make sure that Seth didn't reinjure you. It won't be so bad. We'll be there." Roman said.

"Come on, Angel. If the doctors try anything, Roman and I will kick their asses." Dean said as Kristy smiled.

"Kristy why are you smiling?" Taker asked.

"No reason." Kristy said.

Angel sighed, but nodded anyway. Dean and Roman helped her from the ring and then Roman scooped her up. Owen, Bret and Davey looked at Taker. To their surprise, he was smiling. Then Taker looked up at Seth.

"If you're wondering, it's going to be your job to go to Xander and explain to him that you screwed up." He said.

Then they all left the Development Centre and got into two cars. They drove to the nearest hospital. About an hour later, everyone was in the room. They were waiting for the results of Angel's tests to come back. After a long silence, Owen spoke up.

"Kristy, is there something we need to know about you and Dean?" he asked.

"No!" Kristy and Dean answered at the same time.

"Really? Seems like there is." Owen chuckled.

"There isn't. Dean and I just friends. I mean, I'm not a whore you know." Kristy said.

"Nice going, Owen. You're supposed to be the lovable one." Davey said.

"And Bret is supposed to be the accusing one." Taker said.

"I'm not accusing Kristy of anything. And she's definitely no whore. I was just wondering. That's all." Owen said.

"They're just friends, Owen. That's all. Just like Roman and I." Angel said, quietly.

"Alright. Fair enough." Owen said.

"If anything happens with Dean and I, I'll tell you guys. Just like if anything happens with Ang and Roman, she'll tell you." Kristy said.

"Yeah." Angel said.

Just then, the doctor came in. He had the results of Angel's tests. Everyone was scared, but to their relief, it all had come back normal. Before he left, he announced that Angel was going to have to stay overnight for observation. Then he gave her something for the pain and left. She had relaxed considerably since she had come in and the pain medicine took the edge off her headache.

"Can we kill Seth now? That was too close of a call." Dean said.

"I'm with Dean. Let's kill him." Roman said.

"We'll let Vince deal with him. I'll talk to him and tell him what happened." Taker said.

"Good idea." Roman said.

"Are you sure there's nothing going on between you four? I get the feeling there is." Taker said.

"Well…um…" Kristy said.

"Uh…not exactly…" Dean said.

"Not exactly?" Davey asked.

"Well….uh…see…" Dean started.

"OK, look here's the thing. I like Angel, but I know that she just broke up with David and I'm not about to rush it." Roman admitted.

"And…me…well, I like Kristy very much, but honestly? I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to do anything that would upset Wyatt." Dean said.

"Well, I'll give you this, Dean, at least you're considering Wyatt's feelings. That's more than I can say for Adam…or Cena." Taker said.

"That's because he knows that Wyatt comes with the deal too." Davey said.

"True." Taker said.

"What are Grandpa and Grandma going to think about this?" Kristy asked.

"As long as you're happy, Kristy, Stu and Helen don't care what you do really. They just want you to be careful. That's all." Bret said.

"What would Uncle Dean think?" Kristy said.

"What the hell?" Dean asked.

"Dean was our sixth oldest brother. I don't know what he'd think, but I know that having you and him in the same room would be really confusing." Owen said.

"What would Matt think?" Kristy asked.

"Hm. Well, he would be fine with it, I think. As long as you're happy, he wouldn't mind. I could see him being good friends with Dean and Roman and Angel too." Bret said.

"Who was Matt?" Dean asked.

"He was my cousin. When he was thirteen, he got a flesh eating virus from an unclean ring mat from through a cut on his finger. It didn't take long for him to pass on after that." Kristy said.

"What's your Mom going to think?" Angel asked.

"I don't give a damn what she thinks." Kristy said.

"True. But I guarantee she'll have something to say when you get around to taking Dean back to Calgary." Angel said.

"I know. I'm kind of dreading it." Kristy said.

"Don't get along with your Mom very well?" Roman asked.

"You have no idea." Kristy said.

"Her Mom isn't the nicest person in the world." Angel said.

"Really?" Dean asked.

"Let's see…ever since they found out she was deaf, her Mom shunned her. Then there was the time that she punched Kristy in the face to get her sent to Houston to live with Dad and I. Then she forced her to come back home and nearly beat her to death." Angel said.

"I refuse to think about that night." Kristy said.

"I know. I know. Knowing her, she'll say something stupid about Dean not being worthy of her daughter. As if she gives a damn…" Angel said.

"Other way around girl." Kristy said.

"I'm talking about how your Mom is going to say something stupid about Dean not being worthy. She'll pretend she gives a damn." Angel explained.

"Yeah. Well, she won't. Ever." Kristy said.

"Ouch." Dean said.

"So, Angel's Mom is dead and Kristy's Mom is a bitch. What a combination." Roman said.

"You told them about your Mom?" Taker asked.

"Daddy, take it easy. We can trust them. Don't worry." Angel said.

"Yeah. It was Aunt Beth who told us that we can trust them." Kristy said.

"Yeah." Angel said.

"OK. OK. Just be careful around that Rollins kid. I don't trust him either." Taker said.

"We know." Angel said.

"Wait…Kristy, did you tell them that you were deaf?!" Davey snapped.

"Yeah, Dad. I did. Don't worry. They won't tell." Kristy said.

"You two had better not treat Kristine any differently now that you know!" Davey warned them both.

"Why would we do that?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. Kristy is an amazing girl." Dean said.

"They won't treat her differently. I'll make sure they don't. And don't worry, Davey, Seth doesn't know and we have no intention of telling him anything. We'll figure out a way to hide it from him." Angel said.

"Davey, I know you don't know Roman and I very well, but believe me, we'll protect Angel and Kristy with our lives and we'll never tell Seth anything about what they have shared with us. You have my word." Dean said.

"Except….Seth knows I was abused and given up for adoption. And he knows about Mom…and that's all he's ever going to know about my past. Or me for that matter. And he knows about my powers. I kind of…snapped and used them on him." Angel said.

"Well, there is that." Kristy said.

"Angel!" Taker said.

"What? He said I was a black mark on the WWE and that I shouldn't have come back here! And he called Kristy a whore and said she was going to "jump all over Dean"! What was I supposed to do?!" Angel asked.

"She's right, Taker. He forced her into it. Dean and I were there." Roman said.

"That's how Roman and I found out that Kristy was deaf." Dean said.

"I…locked myself in the bathroom and pulled my hearing aids out. They…noticed I was a little too quiet in there." Kristy said.

"Yeah." Dean and Roman said.

"It was sort of an accident. Sorry, Davey." Dean said.

"OK. And it's OK. Just…please don't treat her any differently." Davey said.

Dean and Roman nodded. Angel was going to have to stay in the hospital for the night to be sure that she was alright. Dean, Roman, Kristy and Taker stayed with her while Davey, Owen and Bret took Lea and Wyatt back to Nattie and Ty's house so that they could sleep well. Thankfully, it wasn't going to be too long of a night.


	19. Changing in the Blink of an Eye

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 19: Changing in the Blink of an Eye**

Seven months later, it was April. As a matter of fact, it was the SmackDown after Wrestlemania. Taker had won again, this time defeating CM Punk. John Cena had won the WWE Championship and then promptly turned heel and jumped on board with the Authority. The Shield, which consisted of Dean, Roman, Seth, Kristy and Angel, had wreaked havoc over the WWE since debuting in November at the Survivor Series Pay Per View. They had taken out Ryback, Kane, Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Big Show, Sheamus and others. Usually, Angel and Kristy would hang back and just let the guys do their thing, mostly because they felt uneasy about the idea of attacking people who had helped them out.

Things were going alright within the Shield. Seth had agreed that, although he didn't like them at all, he would at least be civil to Angel and Kristy. But what they didn't know was that he was planning something behind their backs that was going to bring them down and get rid of them. Or at least that was what he hoped would happen. It was due to start tonight. Dean was set to have a match with Taker and the other members of the Shield were going to be at ring side.

Dean had become great friends with Kristy and Angel and his feelings toward Kristy had grown into a lot more than he had bargained for, but he hadn't acted on them yet because he was worried about the effect that it would have on Wyatt if he jumped into a realationship with the boy's mother. He knew he would have to talk to the boy about it eventually, but right now they had other things to worry about.

Roman was feeling the same way with Angel. He had feelings, but nothing had come of it. Given Angel's past, which he had learned a lot more about over the last seven months, he was not about to force her to do something that she wasn't comfortable with. He didn't want her to wind up hurt like she had been so many times in the past—physically or otherwise.

Angel and Kristy were in the locker room with Dean, Roman, and Seth. All four of them couldn't help but wonder if Seth had something planned. They all knew Seth didn't like Angel and Kristy that much, although he was civil to the two of them. Out of all of them, Angel was the most nervous about going to ring side on the opposite side of her father, but Seth had insisted she be there.

"Remind me again why Kristy and I have to be out there, Mr. Bright Ideas." Angel said to Seth.

"Because we're a unit." Seth answered.

"Did you stop to consider how uncomfortable Kristy and Angel are with this?" Dean asked him.

"Yeah. I mean, that's Angel's Dad. And Kristy's Godfather. Did you think this through?" Roman asked.

"I thought it through, you two. Don't freak out. Everything will be fine as long as we stick to the plan." Seth said.

"Which is?" Kristy asked.

"The usual post match stuff." Seth said.

"Lovely." Angel said, rolling her eyes.

"Angel, is it normal to feel scared right before a match with your Dad?" Dean asked.

"I wouldn't know. I've never had the misfortune of standing across the ring from him and I don't want to. Best advice I can offer you is don't let Daddy get into your head too much because once he gets in there, you're screwed." Angel said.

"Great. Fat lot of good that's going to do me." Dean said.

"Sorry. But like I said, I've never had a match with Daddy. Except in training. And he's not nearly as scary when he's training." Angel told him.

"Dean, you've got an advantage here. No one knows what you're thinking at all when you get in the ring." Seth said.

"Sometimes I think he doesn't know what he's going to do half the time. He just does it on instinct." Roman said.

"That being said, if no one knows what you're thinking when you step in there, Daddy is going to have a hard time getting into your head." Angel said.

"Just one tip. Don't make Uncle Taker mad." Kristy said.

"Yeah. Don't do that. Then he'll become unpredictable himself and you'll lose the advantage." Angel said.

"Right." Dean said.

"Dean, don't worry about this. You'll do fine. You're a great wrestler. If you weren't, Daddy wouldn't have asked the nose for this match personally." Angel said.

"He asked Hunter personally?" Roman said.

"Yeah, he did. That doesn't mean he thinks Dean's more talented than you two. It just means that Daddy thinks Dean will be the biggest challenge for him." Angel said.

"The fact that you two know Undertaker so well is slightly intimidating in itself." Roman said.

"Kristy grew up with him. I've gotten to know him better since we were reunited, but I've always found it easy to figure him out." Angel said with a shrug.

"Just one more thing though. When he goes for Old School or the Last Ride, say a prayer and hope to whatever you believe in up there that you land in a soft spot, otherwise you're dead." Kristy said.

"As in you might be out for a while and might need a trip to the ER if you land too hard. Believe me, the last thing you want to do is make Uncle Taker mad in the middle of a move. Otherwise, uh…just ask Kane what happens when Uncle Taker gets mad in the middle of a move." Kristy said.

"You mean like the time when he got pissed at Hunter and Tombstoned him on the steel steps at Wrestlemania last year and Shawn winced so bad he looked like he was going to cry?" Roman asked.

"Yep." Kristy said.

"OK, guys. We don't want to freak Dean out too much." Angel said.

"Sorry, Dean. Ang, are you OK?" Kristy said.

"I'm great. You know, other than having to go out and stand on the opposite side of the ring as my father and watch him possibly get hurt by Dean, Roman and Seth because Seth is a jerk and doesn't give a damn about us or our feelings." Angel said.

"OK. So that was a dumb question." Kristy said.

"Yeah. You think?" Seth snapped.

"Shut up, Seth. It's your damn fault that we have to do this in the first place." Kristy snapped back.

"You two will be fine." Seth said.

"Easy for you to say." Angel said.

"You don't know the first thing about Angel and I, you sorry excuse for a man." Kristy snapped.

Seth went quiet after that. He didn't have a lot to say to that. Everyone sat around waiting for the show to start. Kristy and Angel talked to Dean and Roman the whole time, but didn't say much to Seth. Before anyone knew it, it was time for Dean's match with Taker. The five members of the Shield walked to the ring, going through the crowd.

Angel was reluctant and as a result, stayed behind everyone else out of the way. Everyone could see it. Taker even noticed it when he made his way to the ring a few minutes later. He made eye contact with her briefly and could see that she was ready to burst into tears.

He became instantly furious with Seth Rollins. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew that he was the reason that Angel was even standing there with them. He took a deep breath and reminded himself not to take his anger toward Seth out on Dean. This wasn't Dean's fault.

The match was a complete blur for Angel. She had no idea how long it went on for, but before she knew it, Dean had tapped to Taker's Hell's Gate submission. Then Seth and Roman stepped forward. They surrounded two sides of the ring. Angel sighed, feeling a bit of relief. She was sure it was going to be the usual stuff: attack, triple power bomb and leaving Taker laying there.

Her relief didn't last long however as Seth pulled something from underneath the ring and asked for a microphone. He climbed into the ring with Dean and Roman. Angel and Kristy followed, hesitating slightly. They wondered what was going on now.

"You may have beat Dean fair and square, Deadman, but I'm going to have the last laugh in the end. Angel, come over here." Seth said.

Angel hesitantly walked over and stood next to Seth. She was a nervous wreck by now. Too late, she had realized that he had something more planned then he had let on. Kristy, Roman and Dean watched in shock as Seth handed her what he had pulled from the ring earlier. It was a lead pipe. Angel took it, still staring at him. She looked confused.

"Take this. And use it. You know what to do." Seth said.

Angel continued to stare at him. It took her a minute to piece together what he wanted her to do. Dean, Roman and Kristy all stared at Seth with their mouths open. They had realized it too. They asked for microphones.

"Seth, you can't be serious." Dean said.

"Are you kidding me right now?! You're crossing a line! A huge line! A line that should frankly, never be crossed!" Kristy said.

"Seth, don't make her do this." Roman said.

"Shut up, you three. Angel, if you don't do it, I'll do it. And trust me, if I have to take matters into my own hands, it will be more than a pipe that the old man gets." Seth threatened.

Angel just stared at him. Then she looked from Seth to her father and back again, tears forming in her eyes. She shook her head. She couldn't. There was no way she was going to hurt her father. She held out her hand and Kristy handed her the microphone.

"Seth….I can't. I can't do this. Not….not now…not ever. Not after everything he's done for me…I'm not going to hurt my father! You can go to hell!" Angel snapped, tears rolling down her face now.

"Well, well, it seems as though when Angel gave up her Dead Girl persona, she let go of her back bone too. Oh well. I warned you." Seth said.

He turned to Taker, who held up one hand, telling Seth to stop. He asked for a microphone too. Everyone stared at him. They were not prepared for what came out of his mouth.

"Baby girl, hit me." Taker said.

"I…can't do it!" Angel said.

"You listen to me, young lady. You're in the WWE. You do what you have to do! Understood? Now, hit me." Taker said.

"Daddy…I…I'm…really sorry….and…I love you…" Angel sobbed.

She swung the pipe at Taker's head with all the strength she could put behind it. It was enough to knock him onto his back, but he was still conscious. Angel dropped the pipe and got out of the ring. Then she ran to the back, openly sobbing. She couldn't believe what she had just done. She was sure that she had just become the single most hated person in WWE.

Angel wasn't even looking where she was going. She was just kind of letting her feet lead her. She soon found herself outside the locker room that, until a few months ago, she had shared with everyone else in her family. She opened the door and stepped in. No one said a word. Bret walked over and hugged her, making Angel sob even harder. Lea and Wyatt both walked over and hugged her too. Owen was pacing, feeling unusually livid.

"That dirty, rotten, low down, sneaky little piece of garbage!" he snapped nearly on the verge of shouting.

"I didn't…want to do that….I really didn't." Angel sobbed.

"We know, kiddo." Bret said.

"I can't believe Seth made me do it! I never…wanted to hurt Daddy! I can't believe he'd make me hurt my own father!" Angel sobbed.

"Angel…try and relax. We know you didn't want to do that. Even Taker knows you didn't want to." Bret said.

"I don't understand, Uncle Bret. Why would Daddy tell Angel to hit him if he knew she didn't want to?" Lea asked.

"Because LeLe, in the WWE you have to do whatever you're told. Even if you hate the idea because it's expected of you." Bret said.

"Bret, that wasn't part of the plan for tonight! Roman was supposed to spear Taker and then the three of them were supposed to put him through the announce table. This wasn't supposed to happen." Owen said.

"What?! Angel…did Seth go off the plan?" Bret said.

"Daddy…was supposed to get speared…and go through the table…I wasn't supposed to be involved in that at all…I was just supposed to watch…and then slap them and walk away…" Angel sobbed.

"So what in the hell happened?" Bret asked.

"Seth had other ideas obviously." Owen said.

"He was telling us about it in the locker room before the show started, but I had no idea he was going to do this." Angel admitted, starting to relax a bit.

"What did he say?" Bret asked.

"Just that Dean was going to have his match with Daddy and that afterward the guys were gonna do the usual. You know…post match attack thing. And that he wanted us all there because we're supposed to be a unit…" Angel whispered.

"That son of a bitch!" Owen said.

"Uncle Bret, can we go see if Daddy is OK? He should be in the trainer's room by now." Lea said.

Bret nodded. All of them headed to the trainer's room. Taker was sitting there, holding an ice pack to his temple where Angel had smacked him. Dean, Roman and Kristy were there too. As soon as Angel saw her father, she burst into tears all over again and ran to him, giving him a hug.

"Hey, I'm gonna be fine. Just a bump on the head. It's OK, baby girl." Taker said.

"Daddy…I didn't want to. I shouldn't have. I'm…really sorry." Angel said through her tears.

"It's alright, baby girl. Really. You were just doing what was expected of you." Taker said.

"No, I wasn't. That wasn't the plan…" Angel whispered.

"What does she mean?" Taker asked.

"Well, everything about the match itself went the way it was supposed to…" Dean said.

"But after the match, I was supposed to spear you and then Dean, Seth and I were supposed to put you through the announce table." Roman said.

"And then Angel was supposed to get pissed at them and slap the three of them across the face and then leave angrily." Kristy said.

"Only Seth had other ideas." Bret said.

"Did Vince know about this?" Owen asked.

"Seth did this all on his own. Even we didn't know about it. Believe us, Taker if we had, we never would have let it happen." Dean said.

"There's something fishy about this…" Bret said.

"Uncle Bret, we don't have proof." Kristy said.

"Seth has been very weird lately. Since the girls joined up." Roman said.

"He doesn't like us. That's why." Angel said.

"He's been nothing but a jackass since we joined up with you guys." Kristy said.

"Look, I know he's a jackass and everything, but would he really set me up like that?" Angel asked.

"You'd be surprised what Seth can do. He's not exactly known for playing by the rules." Dean said.

"Could you two do us a huge favor? Can you possibly find a way to get proof that he set this up? He'll tell the two of you anything." Taker said to Dean and Roman.

"We will do what we can, Deadman." Roman said.

"Yeah. Count on us. We'll make him sing like the chicken he is." Dean said.

"Great. Thanks guys. Good luck." Taker said.

Dean and Roman walked out of the trainer's room, saying that they would meet them back in their locker room later. They headed off to go and figure out what was going on with Seth. They found him outside, talking on the phone. They waited for him to hang up before they walked over. Roman was glaring at him. He had promised himself that he was going to stay calm, but it wasn't working.

"What the hell was that?!" he snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Seth asked.

"What in the hell made you make Angel attack her own father?! You know how much Taker means to her. For God's sake, Seth, what the hell was that about?" Dean asked.

"I was testing her." Seth said.

"That wasn't a test! That was her worst nightmare come true! Now, you're gonna tell us what the hell is up! What the hell made you make her do that? And tell the truth!" Roman snapped.

"Alright. Fine. I've been in touch with someone. I…really don't want the girls in the Shield, but you two are so blinded that you can't see it. So, I talked to someone to find out how to bring them down. They told me that making Angel hurt Taker would do it." Seth said.

"I'm almost afraid to ask this…but who the hell did you talk to?" Roman asked.

"I talked to Diana Hart-Smith." Seth admitted.

"WHAT?!" Roman shouted.

"Kristy's Mother?! Are you kidding?! That woman tried to kill Kristy! And she's done nothing but hurt the girls! You are crazy for even talking to that woman!" Dean said.

"Diana is the only person who knows how to take them down. I mean, we don't really need them in the Shield anyway." Seth said.

"I don't believe you!" Roman snapped.

"Do you know how hard that was for Angel to do?!" Dean asked.

"Who cares? She did what she was told." Seth said.

"Newsflash: She did not do it because _you_ told her to. She did what she did out there tonight because _Taker_ told her to do it!" Roman said.

"She would never do something that _you_ told her to do!" Dean snapped.

"And neither will Kristy. So you might as well scrap whatever little plan you have for her for next week because there's no way in hell she'd hurt any of her family! And before you open your mouth, Taker, Angel and Lea count as her family, so don't try and make it one of them that gets attacked because Hell would have to freeze over before Kristy harmed them in any way!" Roman snapped at him.

"Especially if it's Angel you're thinking of using. I mean, Kristy refuses to fight her. She won't even train with Angel for fear of hurting her in some way." Dean said.

"Funny really. Her mother said the same thing." Seth said with a laugh.

"I can't believe you're this jealous and petty, Seth. Why don't you be a man and confront them about it?" Roman asked.

"Uh, Roman, that might be because he has yet to grow a set!" Dean told him.

"I have more of a set than you two do. I mean, at least I'm not blind to them the way you two are." Seth said.

"Really? Dean, do you think we've missed anything when it comes to Angel and Kristy?" Roman asked.

"I don't know. Let's think about it for a second, you've got Kristy who is kind, intelligent funny, fiercely loyal, and a great Mom and friend. And then there's Angel…who has been to hell and back and despite that is still kind, intelligent, gentle, and loyal. Not to mention protective. Especially of Lea. Neither one let people get close, but if you're lucky enough to pull it off, you're there for life. Doesn't look like we've missed anything to me." Dean said.

"Oh, come on. You two can't see that they're not worth anything to anyone!" Seth said.

"Why don't you stop being prejudice toward them for a second and take a look at the Deadman? Or Bret and Owen? Or Nattie and Ty? Or Lea and Wyatt? They seem to think Angel and Kristy are worth an awful lot!" Roman said.

"So what you're saying is that they're not worth anything to _you_!" Dean snapped.

"Exactly. They'll never be worth anything to me." Seth said.

"Why because one is deaf and one is blind and they've both had more than their fair share of hell thrown at them?" Dean asked.

"Or is it because despite the fact that they're both handicapped in some way, they can kick your sorry ass?" Roman asked.

"That has nothing to do with it!" Seth snapped.

"Really? Then what is it exactly about Angel and Kristy that makes them worthless, huh?" Dean asked.

"Angel is blind! Not to mention she's a freak with those powers of hers! And she's psychotic! I've heard things." Seth said.

"You take that back!" Roman snapped, grabbing Seth by the front of his shirt.

"Easy, Ro." Dean said, even though he looked like he wanted to punch Seth in the mouth.

"Psychotic? You wanna talk psychotic? What about the man who kicked her ass around for fourteen years?! What about the moron who ran into Taker's car while he was driving home with his girls and caused Angel to be blind?! What about the vindictive Grandmother who couldn't stand her and tried to kill her on more than one occasion?! What about the fact that said Grandmother kept Angel away from Taker out of spite?! What about the mother of the asshole who tried to take her away from Taker?! That's psychotic! Angel is strong if you ask me. Anyone else but her and they would be dead or in a mental institution, but here she stands! She's not perfect by any means, but damn is she strong! And those powers of hers that make her a freak in your eyes have been known to save her ass more than once! Not to mention save her friends on more than one occasion! Angel is just fine the way she is!" Roman snapped.

"And don't even start on Kristy! She's one of the strongest people I have ever met in my life. She had to be in order to survive and help Angel get through the hell she was trapped in! As for the deafness…well, frankly, I don't care if she can hear or not! I like her just the way she is!" Dean snapped before Seth could speak.

Roman let go of him and the two of them stormed off. They headed back to the locker room where everyone was waiting. When they walked in, everyone looked up. Roman noticed that Angel had calmed down a lot, although tears were still pouring down her face and she was still hugging Taker. Everyone was trying in vain to get her to say something but she just shook her head. Both Roman and Dean noticed that she was shaking, pale and wide eyed.

"What happened? Is she alright?" Roman asked.

"Kane came in while you were gone. He blew up at her for what happened tonight. I tried to tell him that I had allowed her to do it because I thought at the time that it was part of the plan, but he wouldn't listen." Taker said.

"What did he say to her? She looks awfully scared." Dean said.

"You don't want to know. It's too horrible to retell." Owen said.

"Taker? What did he tell her?" Roman asked.

"Not now, Roman. I'm close to beating the living hell out of my brother." Taker growled.

"Will one of you please just tell us?" Dean said.

"They can't." Lea said.

"And why not?" Dean asked.

"Because it was really really mean." Wyatt said.

"Besides that, it's not what he said that's got her freaked out. It's the fact that he yelled at the top of his lungs…and was about to put his hands on her when Taker stepped in." Owen said.

"That doesn't sound like Kane." Roman said.

"Yeah, well, he did it. If Uncle Taker hadn't been here…I don't even wanna think about it." Kristy said, speaking for the first time.

"Kristy, are you OK?" Dean asked.

"I'll be fine." Kristy said.

Dean nodded. Roman walked over and knelt down in front of Angel. She looked up for a second and then buried her face in Taker's shoulder again. Roman looked worried.

"Angel, what did Kane say?" he asked gently.

"That…I was a traitorous little bitch and stupid for joining up with you guys and…I had no right to put my hands on my father like that and that doing that made me nothing but a low down, no good, sneaky piece of shit. Then he said that he was going to make me pay for it. He tried to grab me by the throat…but Daddy stepped in." Angel said, so quietly that Roman could barely hear.

"He said what?!" Roman roared.

"OK, now Kane has gone too far!" Dean said.

"Way too far. Kane is lucky Taker was here otherwise Kristy would have stepped in and Kane knows what Kristy will do when it comes to Angel." Owen told them.

"I wouldn't call him lucky. Taker is livid beyond livid. If there's even such a thing." Bret said.

"You mean he's livid beyond words, Bret." Owen said.

"Yeah." Bret said.

"So what are we going to do?" Dean asked.

"Nothing. It's fine." Angel said, standing up.

"Angel…" Taker said.

"It's fine, Daddy. Really. I'm going to take a walk." Angel said.

She left the locker room, closing the door behind her. Dean and Roman looked at each other confused. Everyone else was worried.

"Is this normal?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. She likes to take off by herself a lot." Taker said.

"If you can't find her, she'll probably be in a stairwell or in a pool. It depends." Bret said.

"Mommy, how come you didn't go after her?" Wyatt asked.

"Because. Aunt Angel needs to be alone right now." Kristy said.

"Oh, OK." Wyatt said.

"But….trouble always finds Angel when she leaves." Lea reminded them.

"I'll go see if I can find her." Bret offered.

"Better let me go, Hitman. I'm sure Bethy wants a chance to scream at me for what Kane said." Taker told his friend.

"Why would Beth be screaming at you? It wasn't your fault." Roman said.

"Aunt Beth doesn't like it when anyone hurts Angel. Even if Uncle Taker didn't do it. She tends to find it easier to scream at him because they can both blow off steam." Kristy said.

"Oh. Alright then." Dean said.

"I'll be back." Taker said.

He walked out of the room and closed the door. He started to walk around and looked around all the stairwells. Finally, he found her in the very last one, which was an emergency exit onto the roof. He walked up to the top of the stairs and saw Angel hugging Beth and sobbing. He sighed and walked over and joined in.

"Hi, Daddy…" Angel whispered.

"Hey, baby girl." Taker said.

"Kristy worried?" Angel asked.

"No. Roman and Dean are worried." Taker said.

 _"Our Kristy not worried. Hm." Beth said._

"Well, it's not that. It's just that she's used to this by now. She knows that when you leave and head for a stairwell that you need alone time. It was the kids that sent me. They reminded me that trouble tends to find you when this happens. Not to mention I think Dean and Roman are worried and confused." Taker said.

 _"I like those two. They both have good heads on their shoulders. Not to mention good men. Dean is good for Kristy. After all, he's going to…never mind I shouldn't say anything else." Beth said._

"OK." Taker said with a chuckle, "Bethy, about what happened with Kane earlier, I…"

 _"It's not your fault, Mark. Kane lost his head and he feels guilty. I talked to him about snapping at Angel already." Beth said._

"Oh. Good." Taker said.

"I can't believe that he tried to hurt me." Angel said.

 _"Oh, I yelled at him for that." Beth said._

"Well, my brother doesn't understand that the girls didn't want to join The Shield." Taker said.

"We weren't supposed to join them. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement where they were supposed to protect us, but….we kinda did it for Dean and Roman. We became really good friends…and..." Angel started.

"And both you and Kristy have more than just friendly feelings for them, don't you baby girl?" Taker asked.

"I…well, a bit. Roman is…I don't know how to explain it really. But I'm not jumping into anything." Angel said quietly.

"We understand, baby girl." Taker said.

"Mark, I think we need to talk to Kristy about Dean. She seems to be having doubts." Beth said.

"Let me guess. It's got something to do with Wyatt." Taker said.

"She doesn't want to put the little guy through anything else." Beth said.

"OK. We'll talk to her." Taker said.

"No. Don't." Angel said.

"Baby girl?" Taker asked.

"Why do we always have to talk to Kristy about things? Can't we just let her work stuff out for herself? I mean, Dean knows that Wyatt is part of it too. Just let them do what they want. If it's meant to be then it'll happen." Angel said.

 _"Angel Baby, have you ever noticed what Kristy does when she can't figure it out on her own?" Beth said._

"I know. I know. She comes to us. But…still, she's more grown up than you guys think." Angel said.

"We know she is. Kristy has to be a grown up. She had to be old enough to look after herself." Taker said.

"I just don't like intruding into her love life like that. Dean's not stupid. Like Mom said, he's got a good head on his shoulders. He'll do what's right by Kristy and Wyatt too." Angel said.

"Alright, fine. But if Kristy comes to us for help, then we're going to help her." Taker said.

"Of course." Angel said.

 _"Now what about you and Roman, Angel Baby?" Beth said._

"Well, he's different than David. That's for sure." Angel said.

"And?" Taker asked.

"He's a good man and he seems to really care about me. And he's a good friend to Kristy." Angel said.

"And how do you think he feels about you?" Beth asked.

"I wish I knew, but I don't." Angel said.

"Well, maybe you should talk to him and ask him how he feels about you, sweetheart." Beth said.

"I don't know…." Angel said.

"Baby girl, I know you don't want to rush anything, but I see the way Roman looks at you." Taker said.

"We all do, Angel Baby." Beth said.

"But…he's…" Angel said.

"What, Baby Girl?" Taker asked.

"Roman is Samoan. What about his family? They're not going to accept me." Angel said.

"Oh, boy." Beth said.

"Baby girl, you know that the Rock's father isn't Samoan right?" Taker asked.

"I know. But…I don't want to upset his family or anything. And then there's….I just…I'm scared too. What if something goes wrong?" Angel admitted.

"You won't know if you don't do anything about it, sweetheart." Beth said.

"Your Mom is right, baby girl. You won't know if you don't try." Taker said.

"I know. I am not doing anything as long as stupid Seth Rollins is around! He doesn't like me already. If I get with Roman he'll kill me and Roman too." Angel said.

"That must be what's bothering Kristy too. She's worried about Dean getting hurt because of her." Beth said.

"That makes sense." Angel said.

"That kid is really meddlesome." Taker said.

Angel nodded. They stood up. Angel hugged Beth and left. Taker followed her lead. They headed back to the locker room. When they walked in, Wyatt was play wrestling with Dean and Lea was play wrestling with Roman and it was really cute. Taker laughed.

"You guys are goofy." Angel said, chuckling.

"Did you two find anything out by the way?" Taker asked.

"Yeah. Seth and Diana were in on this. He apparently doesn't want the girls in the Shield so he went to her for advice on how to bring them down. It was her idea for Angel to attack you. Something is planned for Kristy next week too, but he wouldn't tell us what." Roman said.

"Whatever it is, I'm not doing it!" Kristy said.

"I wish there was a way to figure out what the hell it was. Then we could come up with a plan of our own." Angel said.

"Maybe we could. We know he's going to make me attack the family." Kristy said.

"Well, I'm going out there next week to explain myself. The fans aren't stupid. They know that's not like me to do something like that, so maybe we can work with that?" Angel asked.

"True." Taker said.

"But they heard what was said." Bret said.

"That doesn't matter, Bret! The fans know that what I did out there tonight is not in my nature! I don't attack my family! And somehow Daddy telling me to doesn't justify it!" Angel told him.

"Angel…" Bret said.

"No I have to! What if people start saying that I did it to Daddy on purpose?!" Angel asked.

"That's actually a good point, you know, Bret." Owen said.

"OK, Angel you got me there, but I'm going to cover our bases a bit here. Taker, make a phone call would you please? You've got the best relationship with Vince out of anyone here." Bret said.

"What am I telling him now?" Taker asked.

"That if that little twerp goes off script next week, then we will all do it too. And if Vince has a problem, he can take it up with me. Also, remind him to tell Hunter or else Hunter will stick his big nose in our business." Bret said.

"Can I go talk to him, Uncle Taker? I think I know who he might be targeting and he's the only one who can back me besides you guys." Kristy said.

"Go ahead, Kristy." Taker said.

Kristy left the room. Everyone turned and looked at Angel having seen the look of realization cross her face. She had just figured out who it was that Seth would try and make Kristy attack. Angel growled under her breath.

"Did we miss something?" Dean asked.

"Well, Seth is all about bringing us down, so we'll leave the Shield…right?" Angel asked.

"Looks like it." Roman said.

"And there's one person in this room who's been there for Kristy literally from the moment she took her first breath." Angel said.

"And that would be…?" Dean asked.

"That would be me." Owen said.

"You? Why you Owen?" Roman asked, confused.

"Like Angel said, I've been there for Kristy from the moment her took her first breath." Owen said.

"They even have the same birthday. May seventh." Angel said.

"No one can explain it, but there's something special between Kristy and Owen." Taker said.

"Not only that, but Diana has motives of her own for this next thing. She's jealous." Bret said.

"She's always been jealous of the way Owen and Martha have treated Kristy like their own child." Taker explained.

"Not to mention that other than Daddy and Davey, Owen is the only one who knows when something is really wrong with Kristy when she takes her hearing aids out and won't talk." Angel said.

"Does that happen much?" Dean asked.

"Only if she's upset about something. Last time it happened was when you first met us. Seth upset her remember?" Angel said.

"Oh. So that was a normal reaction." Dean said.

"Yeah. It was. Speaking of Seth, what are you two going to do? Isn't working with him going to be hard?" Angel asked.

"No more than it usually is, given that he's an idiot." Roman said.

"Fair point." Angel said.

"Angel, what's on your mind? You look lost in thought." Bret said.

"I'm never going to get over this." Angel said.

"Which part? Hurting your Dad or Kane coming in here and trying to hurt you?" Owen said.

"Both. Although, hitting Daddy will be the easier one to get over. Uncle trying to hurt me…not so much." Angel said.

"True. But remember, Baby Girl, it wasn't your fault you hit me. It was all that bastard's." Taker said.

"I know, Daddy." Angel said.

"Oh, yeah, I've been meaning to ask, why did you tell Angel to hit you anyway?" Roman asked.

"One, I thought it was part of the plan and two, I didn't want Angel and Kristy to see the alternative." Taker said.

"Tell me you're not scared of Rollins, Daddy." Angel said.

"I'm not scared of Rollins, but I watched him pretty closely the day we came to visit you and Kristy in NXT." Taker said.

"And? Did you find anything out?" Angel asked.

"He's dangerous." Taker said.

"Very dangerous." Bret added.

"Because he doesn't care how he wins as long as he wins?" Lea asked.

"Bingo, Little One." Taker said.

"Sounds like someone else I know." Owen said.

"Huh? Who?" Wyatt asked.

"Just someone you never knew, Little Bulldog." Owen said.

Wyatt nodded. Just then, Kristy came back. She was smiling. She told them that Vince had seen what had happened that night and was not impressed by what Rollins had done, although he was impressed with everyone else's ability to improvise at a moment's notice. Then she told them that they were allowed to do that when it was necessary from now on.

She didn't tell them what they had talked about concerning the next week and no one pressed her, but they were all kind of dreading it as they left the arena.


	20. Crossing Another Line

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 20: Crossing Another Line**

It was the next week on Raw. Angel noticed that everyone she walked by seemed to stare at her. Even though she couldn't see it, she could feel everyone looking at her. Angel sighed as she headed to the Shield's locker room. When she walked in, she found Dean and Kristy sitting there talking to each other. Wyatt was sitting in between them, listening. Kristy explained that Roman was changing and he'd be out in a second.

"And where's the idiot?" Angel asked.

"Around." Dean said.

"Who cares?" Kristy said.

"Point taken." Angel said.

Just then, Roman came out of the washroom, changed and ready to go. He grinned when he saw Angel standing there. Angel walked over and gave him a hug. Then she turned to look at Dean and Kristy.

"Look, you guys…about tonight…I have to do this alone, alright?" Angel said.

"But Aunt Angel, it's not safe." Wyatt said.

"Wyatt, every time someone gets in the ring it's not particularly safe." Angel said.

"Ang, at least let Roman go with you." Kristy said.

"No. I've got to do this my way." Angel said.

"But Angel…" Dean started.

"No." Angel said.

"You can't go out there alone, Angel! What if Seth…?" Roman started.

"No, Roman. It's not that I don't appreciate the help, but I need to do it my own way." Angel said.

"You are so much like Uncle Taker. It's almost scary." Kristy said.

"I'm not that much like him." Angel said.

She walked into the bathroom with her bag and closed the door. Dean and Roman looked at each other and then looked at Kristy. They were surprised that Angel was being downright stubborn and digging her heels in about this.

"I don't get it." Dean said.

"What's not to get? Aunt Angel is like Papa Taker. Really, really stubborn." Wyatt said.

"OK, I get that part of it. The part I don't get is…isn't she just the tiniest bit worried about Seth?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. You'd think she'd be worried after what Seth pulled on SmackDown." Roman said.

"Nah, she's not worried. To Ang, the most important thing is going out there and letting the fans know why she did what she did last week. She knows how WWE is. If she doesn't explain herself, any of the Divas who don't like her or think she shouldn't be here—and I'm sure there's a few—will start telling everyone that she did it on purpose, despite the fact that everyone heard what was said." Kristy said.

"Ouch." Dean said.

"Damn." Roman added.

"Mommy, do I have to stay with Lea and the others again tonight?" Wyatt asked.

"Just while the show is going on, sweetheart. I don't want you hurt. Besides, I think Angel needs to talk to Lea." Kristy said.

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Uncle Taker told me that on SmackDown when all that was happening, she wanted to run to the ring and get between Angel and Uncle Taker because she didn't want to see one hurt the other. I told Angel. She's not upset with Lea. Just a bit worried." Kristy said.

Dean and Roman nodded. Just then, Angel stepped out of the bathroom, holding her eye liner. She was wearing one of her father's t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers and still had all her jewellery on. Kristy caught the look that Roman was giving Angel and just shook her head. Then she walked over and put Angel's eye liner on. Angel put it back in her bag once Kristy finished.

"I thought it looked like something was missing, but I couldn't put my finger on it." Dean said.

"Do I look alright?" Angel asked.

"You look fine." Kristy said.

"OK, good. We'll be back later." Angel said.

Kristy and Angel left, closing the door behind them. As soon as the door closed, Dean looked at Roman. He was staring a hole through his best friends' forehead, as though trying to figure something out.

"What?" Roman asked.

"Would you just tell the woman already?" Dean asked.

"What do you mean?" Roman asked.

"I mean Angel, you loon. You'd better tell her how you feel before someone else comes along." Dean said.

"I'll get to it." Roman said.

"You'd better hurry it up." Dean said.

Roman sighed, but didn't say anything to Dean about doing the same for Kristy. Down the hall, Angel opened the door to the locker room without knocking on it. As soon as Lea saw that it was her sister, she jumped up and ran to her, giving her a big hug. She looked worried.

"Am I gonna get in trouble?" she asked.

"No, Baby Lea, you're not in trouble." Angel said.

She walked over and sat down on the couch. Lea sat next to her sister. Wyatt climbed up and sat on Angel's other side. Lea looked up at Angel worriedly.

"I heard that you wanted to come running out to the ring on SmackDown…" Angel started.

"I…just didn't want you to have to hurt Daddy." Lea said.

"I know, Lea. I know you didn't want me to hurt Daddy, but from now on, please don't think about doing that. Even if you really want to, don't ever come running out to the ring if you see Daddy or me or anyone we care about in trouble. I don't want you hurt. And the same goes for you too, Mr. Hart-Smith." Angel said.

"I can't promise that it won't happen, Angel, because you never know what will happen in WWE…but we'll try not to." Lea said.

"Yeah. We'll try really hard." Wyatt said.

"Good enough for me. Kristy, is that OK with you?" Angel said.

"Works for me." Kristy said.

"Angel, do you know where Daddy is? He dropped me off here and then left and hasn't come back yet." Lea said.

"I think I know where he is. Don't worry." Angel said.

"Where is he?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm not going to ruin it, but let's just say he's on standby in case Rollins shows up and tries to hurt me." Angel said.

"What do you mean? Aren't Dean, Kristy and Roman going with you, Angel?" Bret asked.

"No. Ang wants to go it alone this time. And don't try to talk her out of it. She's as hard headed and stubborn as Uncle Taker, so it'd be like talking to a brick wall." Kristy said.

Bret sighed, but nodded anyway. He knew that Angel was stubborn as Taker and sometimes it was best to just let her do what she felt she had to. Kristy was learning that too. It wasn't that she wasn't still protective of Angel, she still was, just not to the degree she used to be.

Ever since Angel had woken up from her coma and started getting better, she realized that it was alright to let Angel make mistakes once in a while. Most of the time, however, it seemed that her judgment was pretty good. Kristy had learned quickly that it was alright to trust it that was for sure.

"OK, Angel. Just be careful, alright? We don't want you to get hurt." Bret said.

"I will, Bret. Don't worry." Angel said.

"That's my girl." Bret said, giving her a hug and making Angel blush.

Then she left the locker room and headed for the ring. She felt a little nervous. It wasn't often that she put a microphone in her hand, even with her new persona. She was a lot like Taker in that she preferred to let her fists do the talking. She was shocked when she got to the curtain and found Kane standing there. He looked worried about his niece. Angel tried to ignore him, but he blocked her path, making it impossible for her to walk any farther.

"Get out of my way, Uncle. I've got a job to do." Angel said.

"Little Angel….about last week….I'm…" Kane started.

"What? You're sorry? You're sorry that you blew up and that you very well could have choke slammed me to hell if Daddy hadn't been there?" Angel snapped.

"Well, yeah." Kane said.

"Mom already yelled at you. I don't need to. I don't have anything to say to you at the moment." Angel said.

Kane sighed, knowing that he deserved that. He stepped aside and Angel walked to the gorilla position where she waited for the show to open. Kane watched her as she kissed her Mom's wedding ring and looked up at the sky. Then her music hit. Angel walked out to the ring while the fans cheered and whistled at her. Angel got in the ring and asked for a microphone. She took a deep breath.

"I…know you all saw what happened on SmackDown and I also know that-contrary to what a lot of the Superstars, Divas and hell even the people that run the place think-the WWE Universe is not full of stupid people. You're the reason we put our bodies on the line and do what we do. That being said, I owe you an explanation as to why I did what I did last week because you know that what I did was completely out of character and totally out of line, I might add." Angel said.

The fans cheered. Angel was shocked when they started chanting her name too. She couldn't help but grin as she stood in the ring. She had thought that they would all hate her guts for attacking her father, and for good reason. He was a legend in the WWE and he was always cheered, no matter how long it had been between appearances or if he was a good or bad guy.

"Thanks. Now, since SmackDown, I've tried to find the right words or the right way to justify my actions and…well, it would have been easy for me to come out and say "Oh, well, my father told me to do it", but that doesn't seem good enough. I can't justify my actions last week and I'm not going to come out here and make excuses either. What I did was wrong and…" Angel started.

She was interrupted by the Shield's music playing. Angel looked around and saw Seth Rollins coming from the crowd. The fans were booing. Angel rolled her eyes. Seth hopped the barricade and climbed into the ring. He asked for a microphone.

"What are you doing out here? You don't come out here without my permission." Seth said.

"Excuse me? _Your_ permission? I don't need your permission to do anything, Rollins. I'm a grown woman." Angel snapped.

"Do you people want to know why Angel did what she did last week? She did what she did last week because _I_ told her to. I was testing her loyalty and she passed with flying colours." Seth said.

"Excuse me, Rollins? What was done last week wasn't done on _your_ orders. There are a select few people in this world that I will listen to, and you are _not_ one of them." Angel said.

"And why is that?" Seth asked.

"Because no man—especially not a sorry excuse for one—is gonna tell me what the hell to do." Angel snapped.

"Why…you…" Seth snapped.

"It was my father that told me what to do last week. Not you. And he told me to do it because he didn't want Kristy and I to have to watch you, Dean, and Roman beat him up. He knew what it would do to us if we had to watch that. Am I proud of what I did? Hell no." Angel said.

"You mean you're not proud? It takes a lot of guts to do what you did last week." Seth said.

"Yeah, because hitting a man in the head with a led pipe takes a lot of guts. If you ask me it was a no good, lousy, sneaky thing to do." Angel said rolling her eyes.

"I think you did just fine." Seth said.

"You would because your ego is so big you can't look past it to see that what you say and do affects the people around you. You also can't see past you ego to realize that my family and I we're smarter than you think. We know who you're going after to try and bring Kristy down and if you go through with it, you'll be lucky to make it out of this arena alive." Angel said.

"Oh?" Seth said.

"We know you've been talking to Kristy's mother, Diana Hart-Smith. She gave you the idea for me to attack my father. You're not smart enough to come up with something like that on your own." Angel said.

"Oh really? Where's the proof?" Seth asked.

"I'm glad you asked me that. Roll the footage." Angel said.

Everyone looked at the Titan Tron and saw what had happened between Dean, Roman, and Seth on SmackDown. Seth hadn't seen the camera man with Dean and Roman because he had stayed out of sight just enough. When the footage ended, Seth looked surprised and angry at the same time. Back in the back, Dean and Roman were laughing at the idea that someone who claimed he was tough as nails was getting told off and outed by a twenty three year old woman.

"You….little….all three of you…you, Roman, Dean…I don't believe this! OK, Angel, if you're so smart, maybe you can tell the people who I'm supposed to be going after tonight." Seth said.

"You're targeting Owen Hart. Kristy's Uncle and the person who's been there for Kristy from day one. And I mean that literally. He's been there for her from the moment she took her first breath." Angel said.

"Well, what do you know? You and your family are smart after all." Seth said.

"Yeah, we are. Whereas all you have is air in the space between your ears." Angel said.

Seth dropped the microphone and clotheslined Angel. It flipped her around so she landed on her stomach. She started to get up and then she stopped, knowing that if she tried to get up, she was putting herself in perfect position to get Curb Stomped. Rather than risk it, she just laid there and didn't move, despite Rollins yelling at her to get up so he could do it. Angel just waited. A second later a gong sounded and the lights went out. Then Taker's voice filled the arena. He sounded angry.

 _"Rollins, causing my daughter to attack me is one thing, but telling my daughter to get up so that you can hurt her is another." Taker's voice growled._

Then the gong sounded again and the lights came back on. When they did, Taker had Rollins by the throat. Then Taker lifted Rollins up in the air and choke slammed him. Then he did the Rest in Peace sign and Tombstoned him. Then he helped Angel to her feet. He noticed that Angel was crying. Taker looked at her confused until he noticed that Angel's necklace was missing. Taker brought the lights back up. The necklace wasn't anywhere in the ring. They looked around on the floor too and it wasn't there either.

Angel slid back into the ring and walked over to where Rollins was lying. She uncrossed his arms and checked the inside of his gloves. There was nothing there. She stuck her hand in his pocket and pulled out her necklace. Or what was left of it anyway. The chain was snapped, but what was worse was that her mother's wedding was broken in half. She clenched her fist around it. Then she picked up the microphone.

"You wanted me gone? You wanted me out of the Shield? Fine! I'm done! I'm out of the Shield. And so help me if you ever put your disgusting, vile hands on me again, I will kill you! And that's not a threat, it's a promise!" Angel shouted into the mic, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Then she left the ring. Taker followed her back to the back, although she was walking so fast, he could barely keep up with her. When she finally stopped, Taker spun her around. Angel took a deep breath and opened her fist, showing him the broken chain and the broken ring.

"That bastard! How dare he do this?!" Taker growled, the glass above their heads shattering.

"Daddy….can you…fix it…?" Angel sobbed.

"I don't know, baby girl. I'm gonna try." Taker said.

Angel nodded. Taker hugged her. He completely understood how Angel felt at the moment. He felt like a part of his heart had been ripped from his chest. He had given Bethany that ring twenty years ago on the day he had married her and after she had passed away, Kristal had taken it from her daughter's body and from there it had wound up in the hands of his daughter.

He knew the story of the mysterious present that Angel had received when she was a child and how she had told Amber to throw the ring away because she didn't know that the two names on the ring were her parents and that the year was not only the year they married but the year she was born.

However, Amber had taken the ring and stored it away. Angel had found it after Amber had passed away and having learned the truth from Amber while she lay dying in the hospital, had put it on a chain and worn it as a necklace ever since then. Taker calmly took Angel back to the locker room. When they got there, Dean and Roman were there too.

"Ang, what is it?" Kristy asked.

Angel didn't say anything. She just opened her fist, showing the broken chain and broken ring to everyone. Then she ran into the washroom, slammed the door and locked it behind her. Everyone in the room looked completely stunned. Dean and Roman looked at each other. They had no idea what that ring meant.

"Can I ask?" Roman asked.

"That is more than just your ordinary necklace." Owen said.

"We've gathered that." Dean said.

"The ring that Angel wore on that chain was the same one I put on Bethy's finger twenty-three years ago when I married her. It's the only thing that Angel had to remember her mother by." Taker growled.

"Oh, my God…" Roman said.

"That no good scumbag! How could he do this?!" Dean asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find him and beat his ass!" Roman snapped.

"I hate Seth! I can't believe he would do something like this!" Dean said.

"I can't either. Come on, Dean. Let's go find him." Roman said.

"I'm going too." Kristy said.

Dean and Roman nodded. They left the locker room. They wandered around the back for a bit, looking for Seth. They found him in the training room, still a bit dazed from having been Tombstoned by Taker.

"What the fuck did you do?" Kristy snapped.

"What do you mean what did I do?" Seth asked.

"Do not play dumb, Seth. How did Angel's necklace get broken like that?!" Roman snapped.

"The chain snapped when I clotheslined her. I must have stepped on the ring by accident in the dark or something." Seth said, trying to play innocent.

"Sure you did. I'll bet it was on purpose." Kristy said.

"Why didn't you just reach into Angel's chest and rip her heart in two, Seth? It would have been a lot faster!" Roman snapped.

"What's the big deal? It's just some stupid ring." Seth said.

That earned him a slap in the face from Kristy. Dean and Roman were ready to jump on him and beat him to a pulp, but they held back, preferring to let Kristy verbally blast him.

"You are nothing but a sick bastard, Seth Rollins! That was my Aunt Beth's wedding ring! It's the only thing Angel has left of her! Not to mention Uncle Taker! He slipped that ring on my Aunt Beth's finger at their wedding twenty three years ago! You never think before you do anything, Rollins!" Kristy said.

"I didn't…" Seth said.

"You didn't think! Yeah, yeah. We've heard that before!" Dean snapped.

"Now, we know for a fact that stepping on the ring was no accident." Roman said.

"Fine! The chain snapped. The ring rolled away and hit the tip of my boot, so I stepped on it! Happy now?" Seth snapped.

"You are such an asshole, Rollins." Kristy snapped.

"You don't even care. All you care about is the fact that Angel has officially left the Shield. To you, the end justifies the means." Roman said.

"You think she was serious?" Dean asked.

"I've never heard Angel sound more serious in my life. And that includes when she said if you ever put your disgusting, vile hands on her again, she was going to kill you." Kristy said.

"What do I care about that? She's just a whinny brat." Seth said.

"My best friend is no whinny brat, you son of a bitch!" Kristy said.

"Seth, I suggest you use your head for once. Stay as far away from Angel as you can get. That way you're not tempted to do something stupid like intentionally provoke her by putting your hands on her." Roman said.

He walked out of the room. Kristy looked at Dean. Dean nodded. He knew what was wrong with his friend. Seth looked from one to the other, trying to figure out what the two were thinking.

"Let me guess…you have no idea what's wrong with him?" Dean asked.

"Not really." Seth said.

"Roman loves her! He doesn't want to see her walk away from the Shield! I don't either! Angel's become one of my best friends. Hell, she's a lot like a little sister! Not to mention she's heart broken and Roman wants to help, but he has no clue where to start or what he should do!" Dean told him.

"Not to mention that he's worried to death that you've hurt her so bad, she'll leave the company." Kristy added.

With that, the two of them walked out of the trainer's room. They went back to the locker room. Angel was still locked in the bathroom and Roman was over there, banging on the door, trying to get her to come out because he needed to tell her something. They all heard Angel yell at him to leave her alone and she didn't want to be bothered.

"Let her be, Roman." Taker said.

"Alright. I just wanted to check on her." Roman said.

"She's not alone in there. Trust me." Taker said.

Roman nodded. He was sure that he knew what Taker was talking about. Beth was there with Angel. She was probably trying to get Angel to calm down before she came out and talked to any of them. Sure enough, Angel sat there in the washroom, crying her eyes out as she stared at what was left of her Mother's wedding ring. Beth could see the heartbreak written all over Angel's face.

"Mom…can…Daddy get it fixed…?" Angel sobbed.

 _"Maybe, Angel Baby, but you've got to give it to him so he can try." Beth said._

"How could he?! Why didn't he just reach into my chest and rip my heart out?! It would have hurt a lot less!" Angel sobbed.

Beth knelt down and wrapped her arms around her daughter. She had seen Angel get upset before, but this was worse. Angel's whole body was shaking and she was sobbing so much that she could barely speak. Beth just sat there and hugged her and told her that it would be alright and that Taker would try to fix it. All she had to do was give him the ring.

After what seemed like hours, Angel stood up. She washed her face in cold water to get her makeup off and unlocked the bathroom door. When she opened it, she was shocked to find everyone still there. She walked over and placed what was left of her necklace in her father's hand. Taker nodded. Roman walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. Then he asked if he could speak to her in the hallway for a second. Angel nodded and they left the locker room.

"Angel…look, I have to tell you this now, alright? I'm scared to death that what he did tonight is going to make you leave the company and there might never be another chance for me to say this." Roman said.

"OK. What's up?" Angel asked.

"Well, first off, Dean and I don't want you to leave The Shield. He thinks of you as a little sister….and….I…" Roman said.

"What, Roman?" Angel said.

"Well…it's you…when I look at you...I see this beautiful, kind, caring, and most importantly strong woman. And…it's…I…" Roman said, faltering a little.

"Roman….are you saying that you…?" Angel started.

She was cut off by something completely unexpected. Roman had leaned over and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her at the same time. Angel put her arms around him and relaxed, secretly hoping that no one caught them. She wasn't worried about anyone in their locker room. It was more Seth and the other Divas. She knew Seth would blow up and she had no idea what the Divas would think.

After a minute, Roman pulled away. Angel didn't let go of him. For some reason, she felt safe and comfortable. Not to mention she was so dizzy, she would have probably fallen over had she let go at that moment.

"Roman….if that was your way of saying I love you. Then….I love you too." Angel whispered.

"Angel, please don't leave the Shield." Roman said.

"Roman….I…can't be out there with Seth there. I love you. And Dean's like my crazy big brother, but if you put me anywhere near that scumbag, he's most likely going to get stupid and intentionally provoke me. I'm….really sorry." Angel told him.

"That's alright. I understand, sweetheart. Now, I think we need to tell your family about this, don't you?" Roman asked.

"Sure." Angel said.

Angel opened the door and walked back into the locker room with Roman. She had been blushing the whole time and her cheeks still had a tinge of red in them. Kristy figured it out right away and jumped up and hugged the both of them.

"You finally did it, huh?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I did." Roman said.

"What did you do?" Lea asked.

"I told Angel that I loved her. And she told me that she loved me back." Roman told her.

"What?!" Lea asked, her eyes going wide.

"Lea, honey. I know what you're thinking, but family is important to Roman, just like it is to me. He's not going to take me away. I swear. Right, Roman?" Angel asked.

"Right. I see how much you and everyone else here loves Angel and I would never want to take her away from you." Roman said.

Lea nodded. She jumped off the couch and gave Roman a hug. Then she forced him to pinky swear that Angel wasn't going anywhere. Angel grinned. That had gone a lot better than she had expected it to. Angel looked at Taker and saw him smiling, even though his eyes told another story.

"You get one warning and one warning only, boy. You hurt my baby girl and I'm going to be the first in a line of people to kick your ass." He said.

"Somehow I knew that was coming." Roman said.

"Don't worry, Daddy. Roman won't hurt Angel on purpose. He's not that stupid." Lea reassured her father.

Taker nodded, but Roman said that he completely understood and had expected no less from the Deadman, given how protective of Angel he was.

It was after this that Angel decided to go and get her things from the Shield's locker room. She left and when she came back ten minutes later, she looked like she'd been crying again. Taker hugged her. Then, they headed back to the hotel. It had been a long night and they all needed rest.


	21. An Interlude

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 21: An Interlude**

It had been about two weeks since Seth and Angel had had their confrontation in the ring and Beth's wedding ring had been stepped on and broken. Angel still didn't have it back yet as it was in Houston, at the jewelry store that Taker had bought it from twenty three years ago. What was more surprising was that the person he had talked to was now older, but he had sold Taker the ring originally. And the man still remembered him, which was even more remarkable.

Meanwhile, Roman, Kristy and Dean had been doing everything they could to keep Angel cheered up and distracted. Even Lea and Wyatt were trying to help, but she really was struggling. She had lost most of her matches in the last two weeks and everyone could tell that her heart wasn't in it.

At the moment, Angel was down in the Gym with Roman while Kristy, Dean and Wyatt were up in the hotel room that they shared with Seth and Roman. Angel had been staying with them too, but ever since Seth had crossed a major line, she had gone back to staying with Taker and Lea.

Kristy was cleaning up the room while Dean and Wyatt stepped outside onto the balcony after roughhousing for a bit. Dean closed the door.

"Hey, Wyatt, can I talk to you about something very important?" Dean asked.

"Sure. Am I in trouble or something?" Wyatt asked.

"No. It's about your Mom." Dean said.

"What about her?" Wyatt asked.

"Well, see….the thing is…I'm in love with your Mom." Dean told him, blushing a little bit.

"You are?" Wyatt asked, looking surprised.

"Yeah…" Dean said, suddenly feeling as though the situation had gotten awkward fast.

"Well, if you really love my Mom. You need to tell her, not talk to me about it, you silly man." Wyatt said.

"But I do need to talk to you about it. I don't want to do anything that's going to upset you. And most of all, you've got a great relationship with your Mom and I want to keep it that way." Dean said.

"Really?" Wyatt asked.

"Really. So before I say anything to your Mom, I want to ask if it's OK." Dean said.

"It's really OK, Dean. You can tell my Mom. I won't mind. I can tell that she loves you too. But…she hasn't had good experiences…so she's kinda afraid to say anything." Wyatt said.

"I know." Dean said.

"Dean, where were you when I was born?" Wyatt asked him suddenly.

"That depends. When were you born?" Dean asked.

"January third twenty-eleven." Wyatt answered.

"I was working the independent wrestling circuit. I signed my contract here when you were three months old." Dean answered.

"I wish you could have been with Mommy this whole time." Wyatt said.

"And why is that?" Dean asked.

"Because you're the first one that's considered my feelings. I mean, I know I was little, but seeing my Mom get hurt by John Cena and Adam hurt me too." Wyatt told him, giving him a hug.

Dean beamed. Just then, they heard a commotion from inside the room. They walked back in from the balcony to find Roman standing there, holding Angel in his arms. She was passed out and he had Ozzie's leash wrapped around his wrist. Taker had thought about sending the dog to Dean and Liam in Houston, but Angel had pointed out that the only way Ozzie could be of help to her was to be there with them. Just then, Kristy came running in from the washroom.

"What happened?" she asked.

"No idea. I told her to take a break so that she could take Ozzie out, but she didn't want to stop working out. I took Ozzie outside and when I came back in, she was passed out. I woke her up and gave her some water, but then she passed out again. She's really warm." Roman said.

"She did it again." Wyatt said.

"What do you mean?" Dean said.

"Whenever something happens, she works out a lot. To the point where this happens. She passes out and it takes a whole day usually for her to recover. She's probably going to have to spend tomorrow resting." Kristy said.

"OK. How do we help her now?" Dean asked.

"We need to get her awake and give her some water and something to eat. Then let her shower and sleep for a bit. I'll go across the hall and get a change of clothes for her and then let Uncle Taker know where she is. You two wake her up and get her some water and food." Kristy said.

"Right." Dean and Roman said.

Everyone jumped into action. Kristy walked across the hall and knocked on the door. She heard Taker call come in and when she opened it, she found him and Lea play wrestling on the floor. She couldn't help but laugh at the scene. Lea had Taker on his back and had somehow got an arm bar locked in on her father. She was putting as much pressure on it as she could. As soon as Lea saw Kristy there, she let her Dad go and jumped up. Something was wrong.

"Uncle Taker, you've got to get that ring fixed and fast. Ang is going to kill herself.' Kristy said.

"That's not even funny." Taker said, standing up.

"I'm not joking. She worked out so much today that she passed out. Roman's got her across the hall and he and Dean are trying to help her out. I came over here to get a change of clothes for her so she can shower and rest." Kristy said.

"Not again. Will she be OK?" Lea asked, a look of fear crossing her face.

"She'll be alright, Little One. But we're going over there too." Taker said.

Lea nodded. Kristy did too. She had expected nothing less from Taker at this point. She went into Angel's bag and grabbed a pair of pyjamas for her friend. Then all three of them walked back across the hall. Angel was sitting up on the couch, hugging Roman. She seemed upset and exhausted at the same time.

"Come on, Ang. Let's go. I'll help you, OK?" Kristy said.

Angel nodded, still not saying anything. Kristy helped her up and the two girls went into the washroom. Kristy shut the door. Taker sighed. Lea climbed up on the couch and sat next to Roman, who looked worried.

"I don't know how many times I've told her to listen to her body…she's supposed to stop when she's tired." Taker said.

"This isn't the first time?" Roman asked.

"Far from it. She used to do it at home on a regular basis. Although, she was getting better with listening to her body and stopping when she'd had enough. Then that little weasel did what he did two weeks ago…so now she's upset." Taker said.

"And working out is how she deals with these things?" Dean asked.

"Usually. Only this time, she didn't stop when her body got tired. She stopped because she passed out." Taker said.

"Damn him!" Roman snapped.

"Why did she look so upset when we came in, Daddy? Did she think you were going to give her trouble again?" Lea asked.

"Yeah, she did." Taker said.

Just then, the bathroom door opened and Angel came out. She looked at little better, but she seemed as though she needed a good rest. She walked over to Taker and hugged him, bursting into tears. Taker just hugged her back, looking confused.

"It's alright, baby girl. You're not in trouble. I know you're upset and everything. It's alright. Really." Taker said.

"I'm sorry I made you worry, Daddy." Angel whispered.

"It's the Dad in me that does that, baby girl. It's not your fault. Besides, if I didn't love you, Lea, Wyatt, and Kristy, I wouldn't be worried." Taker said.

Angel pulled away from him, wiping her tears away. She smiled up at her father. She still couldn't believe that in all the time they'd been reunited with each other, they had never argued. Not even when their stubbornness collided. She hugged him again. Just then, Wyatt voiced what Angel had been thinking.

"It's so weird. I've never seen Aunt Angel and Papa Taker argue with each other. It's really surprising, given that they're two of the most hard headed and stubborn people I've ever met in my life." he said.

"I don't ever remember seeing them argue either." Lea said.

"Really? You two have never fought? Ever? I mean, I know Angel was only sixteen when she was reunited with you, but she never did….something that a teenager would do that lead you two to fight?" Roman asked.

"Ro, when you live in a home like Angel did, you learn fast not to do anything to start a fight. Besides that, I have a feeling Angel can make Taker give in when they're both being equally stubborn." Dean said.

"She's about the only one." Taker said.

"Except maybe Mom." Angel whispered.

"Come on, baby girl. You need rest." Taker said.

Angel nodded. Dean, Roman and the two kids moved out of the way and Angel laid down on the couch. Taker pulled off his trench coat and laid it over her. Then he placed a hand on her forehead and locked eyes with her. It didn't take long for Angel to doze off to sleep. Everyone looked worried.

"That girl is going to make my hair go gray. I swear." Taker said.

"Will she be alright?" Roman asked.

"She'll be fine. She just needs to take it easy for a couple of days." Kristy said.

"What did you do to her?" Dean asked.

"I put her in a dreamless sleep." Taker answered.

"You can do that?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, I can. Sometimes that's the only way that Angel gets a peaceful sleep." Taker said.

Roman nodded. Just then, the door opened and Seth walked in. He stopped dead when he saw Taker and Lea there. However, he glared at Angel, who was asleep on the couch. Ozzie growled at him and Lea hid behind Taker, looking at Seth from behind her father where it was safe.

"What is _she_ doing here?" he snapped.

"She passed out in the gym and I found her. So I brought her back here because I knew that Kristy could help." Roman explained, telling a half truth.

"Well, get her out of here." Seth said to Taker.

"Watch your mouth, boy." Taker snapped.

"Do you want to know what happened and why this happened?" Kristy asked.

"No, but you're probably going to tell me anyway." Seth said.

"You broke her mother's wedding ring. You upset her. And when she's upset, she works out in excess rather than taking her emotions out on everyone. Usually, she'll stop when her body says it's had enough, but this time she didn't. So in a way, Seth, this is all your fault." Dean said.

"I don't want to hear it. Get her out of here." Seth snapped, glaring at Taker as he spoke.

Before anyone could stop Taker, he had Seth by the throat and was holding him off the floor and against the wall. He looked livid. He squeezed Seth's neck a little bit, ever so slightly cutting his air off.

"Listen you cocky, filthy, selfish, no good, lousy little cockroach. You don't ever… _ever_ tell me what to do! You're going to have to learn two things here in WWE. One: Don't say anything unless you can back it up and two respect the legends that paved the way for you. Otherwise this legend will drag you out to the yard he's dominated for the last twenty four years and you'll learn the lessons the hard way. Do we have an understanding, Rollins?" Taker growled.

Seth nodded. Taker dropped him to the floor. Seth quickly grabbed his bag and mumbled something about seeing the Shield at the arena later. Then he left. Roman and Dean stood there, shaking their heads. Everyone looked at Taker. He didn't look too happy with what had happened.

"So now what do we do?" Lea asked.

"Well, Kristy, Dean and Roman have to go to the show. I'm taking Angel across the hall and putting her in bed and then calling up Vince and letting him know what's happening." Taker said.

"Can I stay with Papa Taker, Mom?" Wyatt asked.

"Do you mind, Uncle Taker? He's worried." Kristy said.

"Nah. I don't mind. I'll watch him for a few hours." Taker said.

Kristy nodded. They picked up their things and Roman kissed Angel on the forehead. Kristy gave Wyatt a hug and told him to be good for Taker. Then they left. Taker picked up Angel and they went across the hall. Taker laid Angel in bed and covered her with the blankets. It was then that Beth appeared. She took Angel's hand. She looked worried.

"Don't worry, Bethy. She'll be alright just as soon as I get that ring fixed. I understand how she feels, but part of me is a little confused by it." Taker said.

 _"Simple. There's a whole room of my things back at home, which is all well and fine. But my wedding ring was something that was portable. She could take it wherever she wanted and she always had a piece of me with her." Beth said._

"Hm. When you put it that way, it makes perfect sense." Taker said.

Beth nodded. Taker smiled and walked over. He kissed Angel on the forehead. Then he turned and walked out of the room. He found Wyatt sitting there reading a book. He looked around and saw Lea sitting out on the balcony. He sighed. Something seemed to be wrong with the little girl.

He walked over and opened the door. He sat down in the chair next to Lea and waited, knowing that when Lea was ready, she would talk to him. To his surprise, she hopped off her chair and climbed into Taker's lap, something she hadn't done since she was small. Then he noticed that she was crying.

"Hey. What's the matter?" Taker asked.

"It's Angel, Daddy." Lea said.

"Angel will be OK, Lea. Don't worry." Taker said.

"I know, Daddy. It's just…I'm worried. She's my big sister and I care about her a lot. I want to be strong like her when I grow up." Lea said.

"Lea… Angel is strong because of you. She had to take care of you and protect you when you were small because you didn't have anyone else back then." Taker said.

"I know, Daddy. But still….she's always been super strong and caring and I want to be like her when I get older. If I can be half the person she is, I'll be happy." Lea said.

"Little One, you don't have to be like Angel or me when you grow up. You can just be you, sweetheart. And if people don't like it, then forget about them." Taker said.

"I know that, Daddy. I just wanna be like her because she's so kind and caring. I also like the fact that when she decides she's going to do something, she does it and no one can talk her out of it." Lea said.

"Sometimes that's been known to get her into trouble though, Little One." Taker reminded her.

"I know, Daddy, but still…I wanna be kind and caring and determined like her." Lea said.

Taker nodded. Lea hugged her father. Then they went inside. Wyatt was sitting there, looking worried. Taker reassured them that they were alright. Just then, Angel came out of the bedroom. She still looked tired, but she looked better then she had a few hours ago.

"Angel!" Lea said, jumping up and running to her sister to give her a hug.

"Hey, baby girl. How are you feeling?" Taker asked.

"Still sleepy, but better." Angel answered.

Taker nodded. After that, things were pretty normal. All they could do now was wait for Kristy, Dean and Roman to get back. It was several hours later when they did. Kristy came running into the room, crying her eyes out. Dean and Roman walked behind her, looking completely disgusted. Not only that, but Bret and Owen were there as well and they didn't look particularly happy either. Angel walked over to Kristy and hugged her.

"What did Seth do now?" Taker asked.

"I'm not even going to ask how you knew that." Dean said to him.

"Sometimes Daddy just knows." Lea said.

"So, what happened?" Angel asked.

"Well, Kristy went to the ring and explained what was going on with you. Basically, you were supposed to wrestle tonight and you couldn't because you got sick unexpectedly. And then…Seth showed up." Dean said.

"What did he say?" Angel asked.

"Basically he came out and said that no one gave a damn about you. Then he started on Kristy saying that she only got to the WWE because of Bret, Owen and Davey and that she was handed the opprotunities that most Divas have to work for. Then…he called Kristy a bunch of names." Roman said, hesitantly.

"Like?" Angel asked.

"He said she was a bad mother for one. A filthy ingrate who had no business in the WWE due to her being deaf. And then he capped it all off by saying that she was a cheap whore who went from Barrett to Cena to Edge and that Dean was going to be next." Roman said.

"When I get my hands on him, he's gonna wish he had never opened his big mouth!" Angel snapped as the lights flickered and the glass in the windows cracked somewhat.

"I know he's wrong….and I know the fans know otherwise because they were booing him to high hell within five seconds…." Kristy said through her tears.

"But that kind of stuff still hurts." Taker said.

"Yeah…" Kristy answered.

"Well, Kristy, we don't think any of those things. And there's one man in this room and I know for sure doesn't feel that way." Angel said, casting a meaningful look at Dean over Kristy's head.

"What are you talking about, Ang?" Kristy asked.

"I'm talking about Dean, silly." Angel responded.

Kristy turned and looked at Dean, evidently confused. Dean just nodded calmly, although there was a noticeable red tinge in his cheeks that hadn't be there a few seconds ago. Kristy let go of Angel and ran to him, giving him a great big hug. Then to everyone's surprise, Dean kissed her right there in front of everyone. Once they pulled apart, Kristy looked down at Wyatt. He was grinning.

"Are you OK with this, baby boy?" she asked.

"Dean talked to me first, Mommy. He knows that we're super close and he didn't want to do anything to mess that up." Wyatt explained.

"Dean….you…?" Kristy started.

"Of course I did. I wasn't just going to tell you I loved you without talking to Wyatt first. He's just as important as you are. And if he had have said he wasn't OK with it, then that's bad luck for me." Dean said.

"Dean, does this mean…well…this means what I think it means right?" Kristy asked.

"Yes, Kristy. It means that I love you." Dean said.

"I love you too." Kristy said without hesitation.

"Just make sure that idiot doesn't find out about this. And Dean, hurt Kristy and you're dead about fifty times over." Owen said.

"I know. I know. Don't worry." Dean said with a grin.

Everyone was smiling. Despite the recent turmoil, something good had come out of everything in the end. They all hoped that this meant that things would be getting back to normal soon.


	22. Visitors

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 22: Visitors**

Angel was excited as she stood at the airport with Taker and Lea. They were in Atlanta, Georgia and Angel's Grandfather Dean and Uncle Liam were coming to visit them. They had originally only planned to stay for one night in order to bring Beth's wedding ring—newly repaired—to Angel like they promised, but they decided that they wanted to stay a bit longer to see what went on outside of the Squared Circle. They had watched wrestling faithfully since 1994 and had always been curious about what went on behind the scenes.

Angel was also nervous. Her Uncle and Grandfather had no clue that she was dating Roman. All they knew was that she and David had split up and Angel had become good—and fast—friends with Roman and his best friend Dean Ambrose. It wasn't her Grandfather that Angel was worried about. It was her Uncle Liam that had her nerves on edge. He didn't like the idea of Angel dating at all. Everyone swore that the reason for this was because he felt as though—in an odd way-through Angel he had his baby sister back. Her Grandfather, on the other hand, didn't feel that way at all. As far as he was concerned, Angel was an adult now, at twenty three years old, and as long as she had happiness in her life, that was all that mattered. He thought that she deserved that much after all the hell she'd gone through.

"Are you OK in there, baby girl?" Taker asked.

"Yeah, Daddy, I'm alright. Thinking is all." Angel said.

"You're worried about what Liam is going to think about you and Roman, huh?" Taker asked.

"More like how long it'll take for him to figuratively rip yours and Ro's heads off. He thinks he's got his sister back, but I'm not Mom. However much I act like it, I'm not her and I never will be. I wish he could have Grandpa's attitude." Angel said.

"Grandpa Dean doesn't really mind what we do, does he?" Lea asked.

"Nope. As long as we're safe and happy, that's all that matters to him. To him, I'm not Mom. I'm a gift that Mom gave him and a small piece of her that she left for everyone…but…" Angel tried to explain.

"I get what you mean, baby girl. Don't worry." Taker said.

"Good." Angel said.

"I'll try to get your Grandfather to talk to him, alright? You're right, baby girl. However much you may act like her, you aren't your Mother and it's time that Liam realizes that." Taker said.

"Thanks, Daddy." Angel said.

She gave her father a hug. Just as they finished their conversation, Liam and Dean pushed their way through the throngs of people, bags in hand. They beamed when they saw Angel. They had watched her on TV and even though she had been in a slump ever since Rollins had broken her only portable memento of her Mother, she had still been putting on some decent matches. They both hugged her. Then they gave Mark a hug and both of them knelt down and hugged Lea. Then they stared at her. She seemed to have grown more since they saw her last.

"Sweetheart, you need to stop growing so fast. Every time we see you, you've gotten bigger." Dean said.

"That's because you don't see me a lot." Lea said sadly.

"Don't worry, Lea. We're staying for a bit this time." Liam said.

Lea nodded. They went back to the hotel where they greeted Bret, Owen, Kristy and Wyatt. They were stunned at how much Wyatt had grown as well. Once they got settled in, Dean went into his bag and pulled out a package. He opened it and handed the contents to Angel. Angel wrapped her hand around it and held it there for a second. She knew what it was.

She burst into tears and ran to her father, hugging him and thanking him for going out of his way to get the ring fixed as fast as he could. Taker just hugged her until she calmed down. Once she had, he put the ring around her neck. It was back where it should have been the whole time. Angel's face lit up and she smiled brighter than they had seen in the last couple of weeks. Before anyone could say anything, there was a knock on the door. When Taker opened it, Dean and Roman stood there. Taker let them in.

 _If Liam is gonna blow up at her, it's better to do it here than at the arena_. He thought. Dean walked over and hugged Kristy and kissed her. Roman noticed Angel's smile and walked over. He hugged her.

"There's that beautiful smile that I've been missing." He said to her.

"Oh? Are these your friends?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. Grandpa Dean, Uncle Liam. This is Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. Roman, Dean. This is my Grandpa Dean and Uncle Liam….and I just realized that this just got confusing." Angel said.

"We'll keep it straight somehow, Angel. Don't worry." Kristy said.

"Grandpa….Uncle Liam….look….Roman is more than just my friend. We've…been dating for two weeks. Since Seth broke Mom's ring. He was...he was afraid that I'd be so hurt by what Seth did that I would leave WWE, so he took a gamble. Roman told me loved me. And….I love him too." Angel said, hesitating.

"WHAT?!" Liam yelled.

"Angel Baby…." Dean said.

"Look, it's been nine months since I broke up with David. I need to move on with my life." Angel said.

"I understand that, Angel Baby. I'm happy for you. As for you, young man you had better take good care of my Angel Baby. If I hear that she's being harmed in any way, you're going to be in big trouble." Dean told Roman, glaring at him.

"I understand, sir. You don't have to worry. I'll protect Angel as best I can." Roman answered, not backing down.

"DAD!" Liam shouted.

"What?! What do you want me to say, son?! Angel is happy. And Roman's obviously gotten the same warning from Mark! There's no way Roman would hurt our Angel Baby on purpose! Can't you at least be a bit happy for her?" Dean asked his son.

"NO! SHE SHOULDN'T BE DATING! LET ALONE DATING THIS…THIS UNWORTHY MAN!" Liam shouted.

"Unworthy?! Hold it, Liam! Roman is as worthy as they come! Samoan men are the most worthy! They put their family and women before themselves and they care more about their family and friends than anyone, so don't you call Roman unworthy!" Kristy snapped.

"Wow. She's never snapped at me before." Liam muttered.

"That's because you have never pissed her off before." Grandpa Dean said.

"I knew this would happen…." Angel said quietly.

"Liam you need to stop judging people you don't know, son." Dean told his son disappointed.

"What he needs to stop doing is thinking I'm my mother!" Angel snapped.

"She's right, Liam. Angel isn't Bethany, you know." Taker said.

"I never said she was Bethany! Where did that come from?" Liam asked.

"Seriously?! Uncle Liam, you treat me like I'm Mom! You flipped out when I started dating David and you flipped now! It's like you think you've got your baby sister back! I'm not Mom! However much I may act like it!" Angel said to him.

"I never said that…Angel Baby…" Liam said.

"You haven't had to verbally say it! Your actions speak loudly enough." Angel told him, quietly.

"That's very true, son." Grandpa Dean said.

"I…just don't want to see Angel hurt. I…don't want her to end up like her Mother." Liam said.

"And just what does that mean?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, just what does that mean, Liam?!" Kristy snapped.

"Just that….Bethany was never really happy until she met Mark." Liam said.

"Well, Angel is happy with Roman." Dean said.

"Yeah. She was happy with David too and look how that worked out." Liam snapped at him.

"David wanted to leave WWE and it was tough to have a relationship with someone who isn't around, Liam." Kristy said.

"I know. Look, I just don't want her to be hurt." Liam said.

"And you think Roman would hurt her?! Really?" Taker said.

"Yes, I do. OK?" Liam said.

"I won't though. I'm not going to hurt her on purpose, you know. Everyone in this room would bury me in about ten seconds." Roman told him, staying calm.

"I'll hold you to that." Liam said.

Roman nodded. Everyone else sighed in relief, glad that the crisis was averted. Even so, Taker cast his father-in-law a meaningful look. He nodded, knowing what Taker wanted. Roman went and got Angel's bag for her and Taker put Ozzie's special vest on him. He wore it whenever they were at the arenas. It was to let everyone know that he was working and was not to be petted.

Then they left for the arena. When they got there, they got a huge shock. Jennifer was back. Not only that, but she wasn't alone. Kel and Cher were with her. Jennifer had been off on sabbatical doing whatever she had been doing ever since Taker and the others had realized that she had fallen into the same traps that her father had back in the day. And of course, Kel and Cher had gone off to help her out.

Kristy whispered in Angel's ear that they were back and Angel sighed and rolled her eyes. She still had some control over the movement of her eyes, but it was limited. She could still roll them in disgust and roll them back into her head, but it had taken a lot of work and quite a few migraine headaches to get there. Just then, the three girls noticed them and walked over. Kristy didn't think twice before stepping in front of Angel. She trusted the three girls about as far as she could pick them up and throw them.

"So these three are the ones who picked on Angel for years?" Liam asked.

"They still do. The only reason they haven't lately is because Daddy finally got smart and took Jen off the road to clean up her act." Kristy explained.

"So, old Shawn's daughter followed in his footsteps." Grandpa Dean said.

"Yeah, she did. Luckily—or unluckily, however you want to look at it—Shawn found out and pulled her off the road. She's been gone for months. And I'm guessing that she's come back to go after me since she can't go after Daddy." Angel explained.

"What did Mark have to do with it?" Liam asked.

"Who do you think it was that told Shawn?" Roman asked.

"Oh…and she can't go after Mark…because…?" Grandpa Dean asked.

"Company rules." Dean answered.

"Divas can't go after Superstars and vice versa." Kristy explained.

"Ah, well that makes sense." Grandpa Dean said.

"Not to mention that they take some sick pleasure in picking on me." Angel said.

"That _is_ what you're doing here, right? To make Angel's life pure hell? I mean, you're good at it, after all." Roman said.

"Why don't you shut up, Reigns? What would your father say if he saw you hanging around with this lot?" Jen said.

"I'm an adult, Jen. My Dad doesn't really have to know what I'm doing all the time." Roman said.

"Not to mention I think Roman's Dad would think it best to hang out with the company Uncle Taker keeps rather than hang out with your group of Hunter's ass kissing friends." Kristy snapped.

"Whatever. Tell me, Reigns what is it that you see in her anyway? Why would you want to date someone like her? She's a complete and total freak with all the powers and stuff. Not to mention the fact that she can't even see what you look like!" Jen said, laughing.

"Watch it, Michaels or I'll make sure that your Dad knows you're picking on Angel again. And believe me, I can make it happen." Roman said.

"So much for cleaning up her act." Angel whispered.

"You know, Jen, I know your Dad was a jerk back in the day and I would think you would want to be better than him." Dean said.

"Well, you know what they say, Dean. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Liam told him.

"That's true." Dean said.

"Why don't you and Angel just leave, Kristy? This is the WWE. It's not a place for disabled people. Neither of you belong here." Kel said, speaking up for the first time.

"If I had a dime for every time I've heard that since I started here, I could buy the company." Angel said.

"You guys really need to come up with some more stuff if you're going to pick on us. We've heard all this before." Kristy said.

"What's with you playing guard dog again? I thought you'd have realized by now that your best friend is a big girl." Cher said to Kristy.

"She's still my best friend, you witch." Kristy said.

"And given that I can't use my eyes, I don't mind. At least I know that all the friends I have are real friends and not pets that play follow the leader." Angel said.

"Isn't that the truth?" Roman said.

"Now, if you three are finished, we've got places to go." Taker said.

"Whatever you say, you broken down, battered old man." Jen said.

"Why…you…disrespectful…" Angel growled.

"Watch it, Jen. You might be Hunter's God Daughter, but I'd still be willing to take a risk and kick your ass." Dean threatened.

"This "broken down, battered old man" has done more for this company in twenty four years than your father did during his whole career." Angel snapped.

"Watch what you say about my father, you freak." Jen snapped.

"Practice what you preach." Angel snapped.

"She's right, Jen. Uncle Taker has done more for this company in twenty four years then Shawn ever did. I mean, if memory serves me, your Godfather had to help Shawn beat my Uncle Bret in ninety seven by convincing Vince that Uncle Bret would leave with the title, which by the way would never happen. Let's face it, Jen. Your father might be a legend now, but at one point he was the joke of the company." Kristy said.

"Whereas Mark has left his blood, sweat, and tears in that ring. From what I've heard, he'd walk out there with broken bones and injuries to wrestle if his name was on that card. It was no wonder that Beth used to constantly worry about him when he was gone." Grandpa Dean said.

"Because she always knew that Daddy had a really bad habit of putting the company ahead of his own health. He still does that." Angel said, grinning in spite of herself.

"We all do that." Kristy said.

"What would you know about it, old man?" Jen snapped at Angel's Grandfather.

"He knows enough. Now if you guys are done, we need to get moving." Kristy said, pushing them aside.

"Angel, I suggest you watch yourself!" Jen called as they walked away.

Angel sighed, but she couldn't stop herself from bursting into tears. She didn't even know why she was crying exactly. Lea stopped them from walking when she noticed that her big sister was crying. Everyone stopped and looked back. When they saw that Angel was in tears, they walked over.

"Oh dear…" Liam said.

"Hey, sweetheart. It's alright." Roman said, putting his arms around her.

"Ang, what is it?" Kristy asked.

"I…don't know. I just feel upset…" Angel whispered.

"Angel Baby, did they say something that upset you?" Grandpa Dean asked.

"Yeah…I mean, I know that the jerk…I mean, Seth…has said all that stuff about me not being able to see what Roman looks like…but…every time someone brings it up, it hurts. It always reminds me that it's not just Ro that I can't see. It's everyone. And….I'm scared I'll forget everyone's faces someday. I hate being blind." Angel whispered, saying it for the first time.

"You won't forget, Ang." Kristy said.

"Isn't there anything they can do to fix it?" Dean asked.

"The only chance she would have had was an eye transplant and that requires having her retinas. She hit the ground so hard, they turned to nothing. Even if she had have been able to have an eye transplant, she never would have agreed to it." Taker said.

"Because she likes having eyes like Aunt Beth." Kristy said.

"It's not just that. After…Amber told me the truth about my family. It's strange…but my eyes…they were a sort of comfort for me. They reminded me that even though I was in Hell….there was someone out there who gave a damn whether I lived or not. And they let me know that I actually belonged somewhere." Angel said, letting her tears fall unchecked.

"I hate my eyes. They look so much like my mother." Kristy muttered.

"I can't say I blame you for that." Owen said.

"What am I going to do? I mean, even my future children are going to be affected by this. I'm not going to be able to see them. And…they'll have to deal with the fact that their Mom is different. It's not going to be fair to them. I…hate this whole situation. I…almost wish…I almost wish that I had just let that accident kill me!" Angel whispered.

"Angel Marie Calaway, don't ever say that again, young lady." Taker snapped at her, careful not to raise his voice too much.

"Why not, Daddy?! It's true! I hate being blind! I hate the fact that I'm burdening all of you by even being here! Someone has to be with me all the time and help me with things that I could do just fine before! Lea and Wyatt are even being left out because everyone is so worried about me! I should never have woken up! Everyone here would be a whole lot better off that way! And….I could be with my Mom too." Angel whispered.

"Aunt Angel, I don't care if you're blind or not. I still love you and I don't want you to be with Nana Beth. I want you here with Mommy, Papa Taker and all of us." Wyatt said.

"I don't care either, Angel. Daddy still finds time for me. Kristy still finds time for Wyatt. It's OK. Really." Lea said.

"No it's not! It's not OK! You all shouldn't have to look after me! I shouldn't have woken up! I should either still be asleep or be dead! You'd all be able to go on with your lives without worrying!" Angel snapped.

"ANGEL MARIE CALAWAY, DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" Kristy yelled.

"Kristy, that's not helping. Angel, sweetheart. Why do you think all this? Where did it come from?" Roman asked.

"I…I've been trying so damn hard to be strong through this whole thing…and I just can't do it anymore. It's just too hard." Angel whispered.

"Hey, Angel. Why don't we go for a walk? You cool with this Ro?" Dean asked.

"Of course. I trust both of you." Roman said.

Angel sighed, but let go of Roman and went with Dean. Everyone looked worried. They hoped that Dean would be able to help Angel a little bit. Angel and Dean walked for a good ten minutes before Angel spoke up.

"Please, Dean. I don't need a lecture, alright?" Angel told him.

"I'm not going to lecture you. I know how hard it is to be strong when something bad happens." Dean said.

"I'm glad someone understands." Angel said quietly.

"So how much of that did you mean?" Dean asked.

"All of it. I'm burdening everyone. Lea and Wyatt are getting left out because everyone is so worried about me. I…should have stayed in my coma…or died. That way everyone would be happier and they know I'd be alright…and I could be with my Mom." Angel told him.

"I don't think everyone would see it that way. Especially not Lea and Wyatt. Wyatt looks up to you. He gets his goodness from Kristy and his strength from you. Not to mention Lea. She would be lost without you. You're like her mother. The only one she's ever known. She would be heartbroken. Not to mention Kristy. Don't get me started on what she would go through. Then there's Taker and Kane." Dean said.

"I know they'd all be hurt, but…at least they'd know I'd be alright. And…they wouldn't have to look after me so much and do stuff for me that I can't do anymore. They shouldn't have to do that. It's not fair to them." Angel tried to explain.

"They're your family, Angel. As Kristy likes to point out to me a thousand and one times a week, family doesn't end in blood." Dean said.

"I know, Dean, but it's really unfair to them. I love them, I really do, but they shouldn't have to drop everything to take care of me. I mean, what if I become a Mom? How am I supposed to take care of someone else when I can't even do things for myself sometimes?" Angel asked, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You'll have Taker, Lea, Roman, Wyatt, Kristy and I to help you. And hey, you aren't a burden. Kristy's been watching over you for years. She never really stopped you know." Dean said.

"I know. And…what about Roman? And his family? I mean, I'm not Samoan for one and I'm…well, you know…different. If his family doesn't accept me, then what will happen?" Angel said.

"His family will accept you. If they can accept Naomi, they'll accept you." Dean said.

"How come Roman loves me anyway? Everyone always says I'm kind and caring and all this stuff, but…I don't really see it." Angel told him.

"Well, I could tell you, but he'd probably kill me." Dean said with a laugh.

"Oh?" Angel said, curious now.

"Let's just say Roman fell for you the day we met you and Kristy and that's it. I'm not saying anything else." Dean said.

"He fell in love with me on sight? You're kidding right?" Angel said.

"Nope. When we left the Development Centre that day he let it slip. Seth, of course was completely disgusted. I told him to be very careful. One, because of who your father was and two because of all the hell you'd been through up to then." Dean said.

"Do I want to know what Seth told him?" Angel asked.

"That it wasn't a good idea to mess with you because you're Taker's daughter, which is really good advice when you think about it. But he also said that Roman could do a whole lot better than you." Dean said.

"Figures." Angel whispered.

"He's wrong, by the way. But between you and me, Seth is getting harder and harder to deal with. Thankfully, he's has yet to figure out that Roman is with you and I'm with Kristy. When he finds out, we're dead. I'm sure of it." Dean said.

"Why does he care if you and Roman are with Kristy and I?" Angel asked.

"Well, he thinks Kristy is a whore. He's so sure that she went from Barrett to Cena to Edge. He doesn't care to know the whole story. And you…well, he thinks you're a freak because of your powers…and unfortunately you being blind is a factor." Dean said.

"Kristy is no whore to start with. Barrett raped her to get to Cena. Then she broke up with Cena because he was being a total ass. She was with Edge for a while and they grew apart like David and I. As for my powers, well, Daddy has them and Lea has them and so does Uncle. And so what if I'm blind what does he care?" Angel asked.

"I know all that, Angel, and so does Roman. But Seth is convinced you're a freak and that Roman can do a lot better than some blind woman who can't even see him." Dean said.

"He shouldn't care. It's not like he's the one that has to live with being blind." Angel told him.

"No he doesn't. He also doesn't want to understand what you go through or what you've been through." Dean said.

"So how long is it gonna be before the Shield goes out the window?" Angel asked.

"I have no idea. I just know Seth is really trying mine and Ro's patience." Dean said.

"I can imagine. Actually, I don't have to. I know what it's like dealing with him." Angel told him.

"Be thankful you only had to deal with him for a short time." Dean said.

"I am. Believe me." Angel said, smiling.

"Hey. There's that smile." Dean said.

"I still feel like garbage. I just don't think I can be strong about this anymore. I've tried, but it's so hard. I want my sight back. More than anything, I wish that accident had never happened in the first place." Angel said.

"Angel, you don't have to deal with this alone, you know. I know that when something bad happens, you retreat and try to deal with yourself. Kristy told me. But you don't have to deal with this on your own. We may not understand what it's like to be in your shoes, but we'll do everything we can to help make it easier for you." Dean said.

"Thanks, Dean." Angel said, giving him a hug.

They walked back to the locker room. When they went in, the first thing Angel did was walk over and hug Taker and Lea. They were a bit confused, but they hugged her back. Then she went around, hugging everyone. When she got to Roman, she hugged and kissed him. When they pulled apart, Angel didn't let go. She just hugged him.

"I'm sorry everyone. I didn't mean to worry you all. It's just…when something bad happens, I think I have to deal with it on my own. But I can only do it for so long before I snap." Angel said.

"You're just like someone else." Owen said, looking at Taker.

"Baby girl, it's alright. But just know that we're all here for you." Taker said.

"I know. Dean told me that even though none of you really understand what it's like to be blind, all you want to do is make it easier for me if you can." Angel said.

"Thanks for helping her out, Dean." Taker said.

Dean nodded. He walked over to Kristy and gave her a hug and a kiss. Roman hugged Angel and Angel walked over and sat down on the couch with some help from her Grandfather. Ozzie hopped up and sat beside her, giving her kisses and making her laugh. She hugged the dog.

"So what happens now?" Liam asked.

"Now we wait until Bret decides what he's doing with us tonight." Taker said.

"I'd love to see you in a match with of those girls, Angel Baby." Grandpa Dean said.

"I wouldn't. I've spent too much time fighting them." Angel said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Taker opened it and saw Bret standing there. He looked quite worried. He walked in and walked over to Angel. He knelt down. Angel wondered why he seemed a little worried.

"Jennifer wants a match with you tonight. Is that OK?" Bret asked.

"Fine. I get to beat her…yet again." Angel said, rolling her eyes. "Looks like you get your wish, Grandpa."

"Nattie, Kristy. I want the two of you ringside. Kel and Cher will be there with Jennifer. I don't want to take any chances." Bret said.

"Right." Nattie said.

"Probably a good idea." Kristy said.

"Might I suggest Roman and I be of some help?" Dean suggested.

"Nah. I've been through this before. Besides, you guys need to catch up with Dingle Dorf before he gets suspicious." Angel said.

"Do I even want to know?" Roman asked.

"Let's just say Jennifer and I have quite the long history." Angel said.

"With both of us." Added Kristy.

"I think it's time for another history lesson." Dean said.

"Basically Jen and I were friends from Kindergarten to Grade nine. I trusted her and told her everything. She repaid me by telling the whole school all of it. Everyone knew about my life at home. When I confronted her about it, she tried to kick the crap out of me. Then Kristy came along. Ever since then, Jen's been taking every chance she can to go after the both of us." Angel said.

"Hm. She and Seth sound like the perfect match." Dean said.

"Don't ever say that. If those two get together, I'm going to need a giant bottle of Jack Daniels." Kristy said.

"That would be like my worst nightmare come true. My two worst enemies in the world working together." Angel said.

"That would be awful. Not to mention gross." Wyatt said.

"Mostly because Rollins is yucky." Lea said.

Everyone laughed at that. Lea and Wyatt did act older than they're ages of eight and seven at times, but they still had the innocence of children. Kristy looked at Angel and saw a smile crossing her face. She nodded, not saying anything. Everyone looked at each other. Taker just smirked.

"What was that?" Dean asked.

"These two are relieved that Lea and Wyatt still act like innocent children at times." Taker said.

"You got all that just from a glance and a nod?" Roman asked.

"I can read these two like a couple of books. Just like they can do to me." Taker said.

"I thought Bethy was the only one who could read you like a book." Liam said.

"Think again. Kristy and Angel can do it." Taker said.

"Kristy's pretty much been able to do it since the day she got lost in the locker room area looking for Owen and Taker found her." Bret said.

Liam and Grandpa Dean laughed. They could picture baby Kristy getting curious about where Owen had gotten to and wandering off in search of him and then getting lost and Taker finding her.

"Tell us the story!" Wyatt said.

"Well…" Taker said.

 **~Flashback~**

 _It was a few days after Kristy's first birthday. She was at a show with Bret, Owen and Davey. Davey was supposed to be watching his daughter while Bret and Owen went out there and had a tag team match against the Steiner brothers, Rick and Scott._

 _Kristy sat there for a while looking at the monitor. Then she decided that she wanted to be with Owen in the ring if she could figure out just how it was she was supposed to get there. She waited until Davey slipped into the washroom to go and change. Then she slipped out the slightly open door and wandered down the hall. She couldn't hear anything, so she wasn't able to hear where it was that all the noise was coming from._

 _All she could do was walk around, looking for her two uncles. She seemed to walk for a very long time before realizing that she had no idea where she was or how to get back to her Dad. She also felt tired from walking for so long. She sat down next to one of the crates used to store extra equipment. Then she started to cry. She may not have been able to verbalize or hear what was going on around her, but she could still cry as a means of communication._

 _Just then, Kristy saw a giant shadow fall over her. When she glanced up, she saw Undertaker standing there. Her eyes widened as she looked at him. He knelt down and looked at Kristy. He wasn't sure what she was doing all the way out here and how she had gotten herself lost. He placed a hand on her forehead._

 _"Hey, you're Davey's little one, aren't you? Kristine, right?" Kristy heard him ask._

 _Kristy stared at him curiously. He had just spoken to her without moving his lips. What was more was that his voice was coming from inside her head. He hadn't spoken out loud. After a minute, Kristy nodded in answer to his question._

 _"Hey. It's OK. I'm using my special powers to talk to you. It won't hurt you. All you have to do is think what you want to say and I can hear it." Taker explained._

 _"I…I was looking for someone. Now, I'm all lost and confused." Was the reply._

 _"Who were you looking for?" Taker asked._

 _"My Uncle Owen. He left. He went out to where all the people are with my Uncle Bret. I want to be out there." Kristy said._

 _"Oh. So your Uncle Owen went to wrestle with Bret?" Taker asked._

 _"Yeah. And he left me with Daddy." Kristy said, tears running down her face._

 _"Hey. Don't cry." Taker said._

 _"But he left me alone…and now I can't find him." Kristy told him._

 _"Don't worry. He's coming back. Come on, I'll take you back to your Daddy for now." Taker said._

 _"OK." Kristy said._

 _Taker helped Kristy to her feet. Then he picked her up. Kristy beamed and rested her head on Taker's chest. Taker just smiled at her. They walked back to the locker room that Davey shared with Bret and Owen. He was frantic over not being able to find his daughter. When Taker knocked on the door, Davey jumped. He opened it and was about to yell at the person on the other side when he realized that it was Taker and he was holding Kristy._

 _"Thank goodness! Where did you find her, Deadman?" Davey asked._

 _"She wandered away. She went looking for Owen and Bret and got lost. I found her. She's not hurt. I don't know what's wrong with her, but she can't speak. I…sort of used my special powers to talk to her." Taker said._

 _"I'm taking her home after tonight. Diana and I have to take her to a specialist in two days." Davey said._

 _Taker nodded. He tried to set Kristy down, but she clung to him. When he tried a second time, she clung to him and shook her head. The third time, she clung to him and screamed at the top of her lungs, telling him not to put her down. Taker sighed and placed his hand on her forehead._

 _"Hey, Kristy. I gotta go, sweetheart. Paul Bearer is waiting for me." Taker said._

 _"No! I want you to stay! And I don't want to go home! I don't like doctors! I don't want to see my Mom again. She doesn't love me. I want to stay here with you and Uncle Bret and Uncle Owen." Kristy told him, staring at him with pleading eyes._

 _"Oh, Kristy. Your Dad will be with you. Don't worry. It will all be OK. And…no matter what happens and what the doctor says I'll be here for you. I promise." Taker said._

 _"Really? You really promise?" Kristy asked._

 _"I really promise." Taker told her._

 _Kristy nodded, but she didn't let Taker put her down until Bret and Owen got back from their match. He was surprised when Kristy flung her arms around his neck before reaching her arms out to Owen._

 **~End Flashback~**

"…and that's how Kristy met me." Taker said.

"That is too cute." Angel said.

"That's awesome. Thank you, Papa Taker!" Wyatt said.

"Taker was the first person to "talk" to your Mom." Bret said.

"When I needed something from that point on, I would run to Uncle Taker and pick up his hand and put it on my head and tell him what I needed and then he would tell my Dad or Owen or Bret." Kristy said.

Angel grinned. She could see that happening too. She was glad that her father and her best friend had had each other back when she couldn't be there for either of them.

"So what are the rest of us doing tonight?" Taker asked.

"You're not doing anything, Deadman, you're supposed to be off, remember? Kristy and Nattie are going to ringside with Angel and if needed, it'll turn into three on three. We'll see how much Kel and Cher try to involve themselves. As for you, Roman and Dean. Seth has requested ring time with you. Something about clearing the air." Bret said.

"Lovely." Roman said.

"I'm going out there with them." Kristy said.

"Me too." Angel said.

"Kristy, I don't think that's a good idea. If Seth…" Dean said.

"What about him?" Kristy asked.

"If he finds out, he's going to come for the both of you." Roman said.

"And…? No offence Ro, but I've dealt with so much worse than that thing." Angel said.

"Yeah. We've dealt with worse than him. We'll be OK." Kristy said.

"No." Dean and Roman said at the same time.

"The longer we can keep it from him, the better it'll be for all of us. When the inevitable break-up of the Shield happens, then it won't matter so much. Until then…just…" Roman said.

"Keep it under wraps, alright?" Dean said.

"Fine. But if he starts beating on you two, we won't sit back and just let it go." Angel said.

"You're fearless, Angel." Roman said.

"It's not that. She just has a complete disregard for her own safety and well-being. It's Jason's fault." Kristy said.

"It's not lack of fear or disregard for my safety and well-being. It's more…Jason pushed me around literally and figuratively…he beat me up so much…when I got here I decided that no one I cared about was going to get hurt if I was around." Angel told him.

"Don't worry, baby girl. Roman and Dean can handle themselves." Taker said.

"It's not Roman and Dean that have me worried." Angel said.

"It's that slithering snake in the grass, Seth Rollins that we're worried about, Uncle Taker." Kristy said.

"Alright fine. If things get really bad, then the two of you can come out, but otherwise stay back here. Deal?" Dean said.

"Sounds good to me." Kristy said.

"Works for me." Angel said.

"Good. Now, we really need to run before Seth gets suspicious. So we'll see you later, alright?" Roman said.

"Yeah. See you later, Ro. Stay safe." Angel said, hugging him and then following it up with a kiss.

"See you later, Dean. Take care of yourself." Kristy said, hugging and kissing him as well.

The two guys left. Angel and Kristy looked at each other. Both of them had a feeling that this was going to be a long night.


	23. Angel Snaps

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Chapter 23: Angel Snaps**

Later that night, it was time for Angel's match with Jen. Nattie and Kristy were going to ringside with her. Both of them had a bad feeling, but it wasn't because of Jen, Cher, and Kel. It was Angel. They had a feeling that she was frustrated and angry for some reason. They weren't the only ones. Taker could sense it too. He had a feeling he knew why as well. Being a wrestler wasn't easy when you had all your senses and mental faculties in the right places, but doing it with one of the five senses missing must have made it ten times harder. He was just glad that Jen and company were going to be on the receiving end of Angel's temper. She didn't get angry often, but when she blew up, it was never pretty.

Angel watched the first few matches. They seemed to go by quite quickly. When it came time for her match, Angel stood up and looked around the room. She seemed to stare at her four family members—Dean, Liam, Lea, and Taker-the longest before turning and walking out of the room with Kristy and Nattie following.

"What was that?" Wyatt asked as the door closed behind them.

"She had almost an apologetic look. Mark, what was that about?" Liam asked.

"Angel…is starting to feel frustrated about wrestling without her eyes. So, she was apologizing for anything she does out there." Taker explained.

"I kind of get it. This job is hard enough to do with all your senses and mental faculties in the right places. I can't imagine doing it blind." Owen said.

Taker nodded. Everyone sat down and watched, somewhat tense about what would happen. Jen was waiting in the ring with Kel and Cher. Angel walked to the ring using her Three Days Grace song. She was still going with the whole human aspect to her character. The fans were cheering for her and were hoping she would finally kick Jen's butt for good. Before the referee called for the bell, Angel held up her hand. Then she asked for the microphone.

"Jennifer, understand me when I say this. This is the last time I will face you in this ring. If you come after me after this, then what I do to you tonight will pale in comparison. Understood?" Angel said.

Jen stared at Angel with wide eyes. She hadn't seen Angel this angry before. She nodded, knowing that Angel was completely serious this time. Angel kept her eyes on Jen the whole time. The bell rang and the match that followed was quite the back and forth affair. However, as expected, Kel and Cher interfered in the match, allowing Jen to gain control. Kristy and Nattie acted promptly, attacking Kel and Cher for their troubles.

However, Kel and Cher managed to get away and just as Angel was about to Tombstone Jen straight to the Gates of Hell, the two girls attacked her, forcing the referee to call for the bell. That did it. Angel was pushed over the edge at this development. Everything came to a head at that moment. Months of wrestling with no sight, years of bullying by Jen, the fact that Jen couldn't fight fairly, and of course all the abuse she had been subjected to as a child all came spilling out.

Angel turned and knocked Jen and Cher down with fierce right hands. Then she rolled from the ring and grabbed a steel chair. She slid back into the ring and proceeded to swing the chair repeatedly into both Jen and Cher's backs. The fans were cheering despite the fact that they could see and feel Angel's rage. The whole time she was hitting them, Cher begged for her to stop. However, Angel seemed not to notice or refused to listen to her. It went on for a few more minutes.

Then suddenly, Angel turned and grabbed Kel by the throat and threw her from the ring. Then she climbed from the ring and headed for the announce table. JBL, Michael Cole, and Bryon Saxton got smart. They took off their headsets and left. Angel quickly and violently cleared the announce table and then promptly put Kel through it with a devastating Choke Slam.

Then she quickly turned and headed back into the ring, picking up the steel chair again. She swung it at Cher and Jen's backs all over again. She raised the chair, intent on hitting them even more, but she was interrupted by all three members of the Shield. Roman grabbed the chair while Dean and—to Angel's shock—Seth held her back, pushing her into the nearest corner. Kristy and Nattie grabbed hold of Angel's ankles and held her there.

"GET OFF! LET GO!" Angel shouted.

"Angel, calm down! You've got to think about your career! You've got to stop! They've learned their lesson!" Roman said.

"Come on, Angel. Think about your future! If you keep this up, you're going to lose your job." Dean said.

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS DAMN JOB OR MY FUTURE OR IF THEY'VE LEARNED THEIR LESSON! LET ME GO! LET GO!" Angel yelled.

Just then, Triple H and Stephanie came running out. Triple H looked livid and it was no surprise given that Angel had just mulled his God daughter with a steel chair and legitimately tried to end her career and possibly her life. Angel could see vaguely through his anger that he looked afraid. Stephanie on the other hand looked shocked and afraid. Hunter walked up and got in Angel's face.

"YOU FREAK! LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE! YOU'VE NEARLY KILLED MY GOD DAUGHTER AND HER FRIENDS! I SHOULD FIRE YOU RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW FOR THIS!" he shouted.

"Go ahead." Angel growled.

"FINE! YOU'RE…" Hunter started to say.

Just then, a gong sounded and the lights went out. In the dark, Angel felt the grip on her arms and ankles loosen. The Shield had let go of her arms and Kristy and Nattie had released her ankles. Then she heard the sound of a steel chair hitting the floor. Roman had taken the chance to pick up the chair and dispose of it. All this happened before the gong sounded again and the lights came back on. Taker stood in between Hunter and Angel, with his back to his boss.

Taker said nothing. In a rare display of on camera emotion, he just held out his arms. Angel relaxed. Her rage seemed to subside just as quickly as it has manifested itself. She looked around her at the carnage she had inflected and started to cry. She ran to her father and buried her face in his chest. What had just happened wasn't like her. She was not a violent person and even though Jen, Kel and Cher had taken delight in bullying her for years, they didn't deserve this.

Taker glared at Hunter with a look that quite plainly said "If you've got a problem with what just happened, you can come back to the locker room and take it up with me once you've calmed down yourself". Then he gave Stephanie a sort of apologetic look before the lights went out again. When they came back on, Kristy, Angel, Nattie, and Taker himself were gone. Roman and Dean walked off, seemingly in a hurry.

"Angel…." Liam said.

"What was that, Mark?" Dean asked.

"Everything bad that has ever happened in Angel's life—the abuse, the bullying, the accident, the loss of her sight—all of it just came out." Taker said, still hugging Angel.

"Add to that the fact that Jennifer doesn't know how to fight fair." Nattie said.

"Stop. Look, I need a walk." Angel said.

She let go of Taker and left the room, closing the door behind her as she went. Taker sighed. Everyone else looked worried. It was a few minutes later that Dean and Roman came in. They looked concerned as they stared around.

"She snapped, OK? All of the stuff—the abuse, bullying, loss of vision, the accident, Jen not fighting fair—all of it came out just now." Kristy said before they could ask.

"Is she OK?" Roman asked.

"She's gone off somewhere. Roman, if you're going to go looking for her, check the stairwells, alright?" Taker said.

Roman nodded. He left the room and went looking for Angel. He checked every stairwell in the arena that he could think of and didn't find her. Finally, he decided to check the emergency stairwell that lead to the roof but when he looked she wasn't there. However, when he opened the door to the roof, he found Angel staring out at the skyline. He walked over and stood next to her. He said nothing. He had learned that if he waited long enough, Angel would talk to him.

"Sorry you had to see that, Ro." Angel whispered.

"Never mind that, sweetheart. Are you alright?" Roman asked.

"Yes…well, no. I mean, not really. On one hand, I'm fine. I'm not feeling angry or frustrated anymore." Angel said.

"But?" Roman prompted.

"But what just happened out there is not me! I'm not a violent person, Ro. I wrestle because I love it and because I figured I'd learn to defend myself in the process, which I did." Angel said, stopping to catch her breath.

"There's something else too though." Roman stated.

"I feel kind of bad for Jen, Kel, and Cher. I mean, I know they've bullied me mercilessly for years now, but they didn't deserve that! I could have killed them if you, Dean, and Rollins hadn't stopped me! And now I'm going to lose my job." Angel said.

"You won't lose your job. Not if your Dad has anything to say about it." Roman reassured her.

Angel nodded, but she was still unsure about how much pull her Dad had with Hunter. She knew the fact that Hunter was in charge and running things didn't sit well with him and he would rather listen to Vince McMahon as opposed to Hunter when it came down to it.

Angel sighed and suggested that they head back to the locker room because everyone was probably worried sick about her by now. Roman agreed and they left the roof and headed back down the stairs. While they were walking back to the locker room, Angel told Roman more. She explained that she had feeling angry and frustrated lately was because of just how hard it was for her to wrestle with no eyesight. Roman said that he couldn't imagine having to walk in her shoes, but that the job was hard enough even with all the pieces in the right places.

When they walked back into the locker room, Angel was jumped by Lea and Wyatt before she could even get in the door. Even though she couldn't see, she could tell that the two little ones were worried about her. They even knew that what she had done was completely abnormal for her.

"Are you okay, Aunt Angel?" Wyatt asked.

"I'll be fine." Angel reassured him.

"Good." Wyatt said, walking up and giving her a hug.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lea asked her sister.

"Yes, Baby Lea, I'm okay." Angel said.

"That was scary, Angel. I thought that Kristy, Dean, Rollins and I were going to have to dog pile you to get you calmed down." Nattie said.

"Nah. I wouldn't have let it come to that. I just finally lost it. Where's Daddy by the way?" Angel asked.

"On the phone to the Chairman." Liam said.

"That moron with the big nose and his wife have already been in here." Dean said.

"Even Grandpa Dean notices." Angel said with a laugh.

"He was yelling in Taker's face that you were going to lose your job over this. Stephanie said that, although she didn't agree with what had happened, it was a long time coming for those three and she's not going to give you trouble." Owen said.

"Triple H on the other hand said he'd make life hard for you. Then as soon as he left, Taker got on the phone to Vince." Dean said.

"Brilliant. The wrath of my boss. That's all I need." Angel said.

"Well, whatever happens, you've got us." Roman said.

"Yeah. We'll keep you safe from Hunter." Dean said.

"You guys…" Angel started.

"Look, you're stuck with our help, Ang." Kristy said.

Angel nodded. Deep down, she knew that she was going to need the help of her friends and family if she was going to survive the next little while. She had no idea what was going to happen or even if she was going to survive the wrath of The Authority.


	24. The Consequences

**Daughter of the Deadman**

 **Phew. That was a long gap between updates. Been playing a lot of video games in general lately. Also, I'm going to be moving again soon because our landlord sold the house we live in, so if updates disappear again, life happened and I will be back.**

 **Thanks to: Cena's baby doll, nattiebroskette(who literally left a review for every chapter which totally made me feel awesome) any anyone else who has left reviews in the past not just here but on all my stories. Also HUGE HUGE HUGE thanks goes to Vader23A for helping me out with this and thinking up a great punishment for Angel.**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: The Consequences**

It was the next week's Raw and everyone sat in the locker room, waiting. Roman and Dean weren't there. They were with Seth in The Shield's locker room, but even so they were watching too. Angel watched nervously as Triple H made his way to the ring. He asked for a microphone.

"Last week…last week…well, rather than explain what happened, I'll just show you. Roll the footage." Hunter said.

Everyone watched as the Titan-Tron showed what Angel had done last week, snapping and nearly killing Jennifer and her friends. When the footage ended, Angel was shocked that the fans were cheering for her. She hadn't expected that. She also knew that she was going to be out in the ring in a few minutes, so she stood up and left the locker room. Out in the ring, Triple H was completely livid about the fact that Angel was being cheered.

"You think that's awesome?! You cheer that?! Jennifer, Kel, and Cher could have all been killed! Angel, you're going to get your sorry ass out to this ring and you're going to do it now! Otherwise, I am going to come back there looking for you, and when I find you, it won't be pretty." Hunter snapped.

He waited. The fans began chanting for Angel in an effort to make her hurry up a little. Even they knew that last week's rage was completely out of character and that she wouldn't be Angel if she didn't come out and explain just what it was that happened with her. They didn't have to wait long.

Pretty soon, Angel's music hit and she walked to the ring as quickly as she could, thinking that the faster she got there, the faster she could get this over with. She stepped through the ropes and asked for a microphone before turning around and locking eyes with Triple H. Something in her head told her that something was going to happen to her. However, she shook it off.

"Are you aware of what you did? You put three very talented Divas out of action for who knows how long." Hunter told her.

"Yes, Hunter. I'm well aware of what I did, trust me." Angel answered, calmly.

"And? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Well, first of all, I want everyone to know that what I did was completely out of character for me. However, Jennifer and her little cronies have had that beating coming for years. I'm not proud of what I did last week, but it was well deserved. Then there's the fact that I've been bullied my whole life, not just by your Goddaughter and her friends, but by a so called Father who took it upon himself to beat me day in and day out for fourteen years of my life even though I can only remember twelve of them. Lastly, there's being rendered legally blind. It really doesn't help. In fact, it makes doing what I love a million times harder than it is for your average Diva."

"Get to the point, Angel. I didn't come out here to hear your sorry excuses."

"Not making excuses, just stating facts, Hunter. But anyway, I let it all my frustrations over all that aforementioned stuff boil over. Last week, it hit its boiling point and I lost it. Unfortunately, Jen and company just happened to be the ones that took the beating."

"Fine. But you do know that—as the Chief Operating Officer of WWE—it is my job to ensure the safety of the Superstars and Divas that are under contract to me. It's my responsibility to look after the Roster."

Angel rolled her eyes. She knew that too. She had been working there long enough to know that it was Hunter's job to ensure the safety of everyone on the Roster, including Angel herself.

"Now, I originally thought of sending you back down to NXT until you were no longer a danger to the roster. However, since you and Xander Darke—who runs that for me in case you didn't know—are good friends, that wouldn't be much of a punishment. Besides, I've had a week to think about it and I've thought of something better."

Before Hunter could fully explain what he was talking about, a gong sounded and the lights went out. Angel wondered what was going on. When the lights came back on, Taker stood in between Hunter and Angel. He was livid at the way Hunter was talking down to his daughter. Angel could literally feel the anger coming from him. He took the microphone from Hunter's hand.

"I suggest you back off now, Mister Businessman, or else you're gonna suffer a wrath that no human mind can fathom. You may be the Chief Operating Officer of WWE, but Vince McMahon is still the Chairman and therefore still the owner until the day comes that he decides to step down and give that position up. Need I remind you what happens when you mess with my family? Need I remind you that you took me on three times at Wrestlemania—three chances at doing what no one has managed to yet—and you failed…all three times?" Taker growled.

He handed the microphone back to Hunter, still glaring at him. Hunter realized that he was in a lot of trouble and it would be worse if he separated Angel and her family. He got nose to nose with Taker.

"I'm not sending her to NXT, Deadman. It wouldn't be much of a punishment for her anyway. I've got a better idea. At the Over the Limit Pay-Per-View, I'm going to put Angel in two matches. One will be a two-on-one handicap match and the other will be a singles match. In the handicap match, your daughter is going to face your brother Kane…and you, Deadman. If she's lucky enough to put down the Brothers of Destruction, she will compete in a singles match. Her opponent for that match will be the Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar." Hunter stated with a smirk.

"No way! Has Triple H lost his mind?!" Byron Saxton asked.

"Facing the Brothers of Destruction is bad enough, but having to face Brock Lesnar on the same night is going to be even worse for Angel!" King said.

"This is a power trip. That's all this is." Cole said.

Angel backed right up until she felt her back collide with the turnbuckle. She was horrified and she could feel tears threatening to roll down her face. She had never thought in a million years that she would have to face her father in a match, but adding her Uncle into it was even worse. Then there was Brock Lesnar, who scared the hell out of her. She always did her best to steer clear of him. Now, there was the possibility of her being stuck in the ring with the ruthless monster.

"You son of a bitch!" Angel heard her father say loud and clear.

Then he reached out and grabbed Hunter by the throat. He choke slammed Hunter so hard that Angel felt the ring shake under her feet. Taker whipped around and stared at her. He relaxed slightly when he saw that his daughter was standing there, shaking in fear. Tears started rolling down her face as she looked at him. Taker didn't say a word. He just walked over and picked Angel up. Angel buried her face in Taker's chest and sobbed. He rolled his eyes back and the lights went out again. When they came back on, Taker and Angel were gone.

Back in the back, Taker walked back to the locker room, still holding Angel. He was livid, thinking that Triple H had gone way too far this time. All over the arena, everyone was having different reactions. Nearly everyone thought this was completely unfair and Angel was essentially being punished for losing her temper, which was something that happened to everyone. Dean and Roman were staring at each other, completely shocked and angry. Seth was smirking, thinking that Angel got exactly what she had coming to her. Stephanie and Kane stood there in the Authority's office, looking shocked and disgusted.

"Stephanie…" Kane started.

"I'll talk to him if he ever picks himself up off the canvas and makes his way back here. I'll see if I can get him to reconsider. Now, go be with your family." Stephanie interrupted.

"Thanks." Kane said.

He left the office. On the way to the locker room, he bumped into his brother, who was still holding a shaking and sobbing Angel. He didn't say anything to his brother, knowing that if he did, he was going to get his head ripped off. The two of them just walked back to the locker room. Kane braced himself before he opened the door. When he opened it, Kristy's voice met their ears.

"THAT SON OF A BITCH IS GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!" she shouted.

This caused Angel to jump and go back to burying her face in Taker's chest. She was still shaking like a leaf and Taker didn't dare set her down for fear she would fall down. He stepped forward and felt something crunch underneath his feet. When he looked around, Bret pointed up. Taker looked up and saw that the glass in the lights was shattered.

"It was Lea, Papa Taker. She completely snapped when he said what he did. She broke the lights and then took off." Wyatt said.

"You mean….my baby sister is loose in the arena with her powers out of control?" Angel asked quietly.

"Yes. She left. She said something about making him pay and then left here." Bret said.

"We'd better go find her before she hurts someone. There's no telling what Lea will do, Daddy. She's never had this happen." Angel said.

"If Angel and Kane are any sort of indication of what Lea is like right now, you three had better find her before she finds Triple H." Bret said.

Taker nodded. He left the room, still carrying Angel. When he tried to set her down, she wouldn't let go of him. Taker felt his temper flare again. With one announcement, Hunter had managed to scare Angel like no one had managed to do since she had been with him. He wasn't the only one who was angry. Kane was too. Angel sighed.

"I'm sorry, Daddy." She whispered.

"It's alright, Baby Girl. Let's just find your sister before something bad happens." Taker said.

Angel nodded. She closed her eyes. If there was ever a time to use the mental link she had with her sister, it was now. She had to find Lea before someone got hurt.

 _"Lea, can you hear me, sweetheart? Where are you?"_

 _"Don't come find me, Angel. You'll just get yourself hurt." Lea snapped at her._

 _"Baby Lea, listen to me. You're angry. I understand that, but your powers are out of control and if Daddy, Uncle, and I don't find you, you're going to hurt innocent people."_

 _"I don't care. I'm going to make him pay!"_

 _"Lea Ann Calaway, you listen to me. Wherever you are right now, you had better stop walking! I'm not going to let you hurt anyone! Daddy already choke slammed Hunter to hell!"_

 _"I'm going to make him pay for this! He has no right to do this to you."_

Angel sighed and opened her eyes again. She could tell that she had a worried look on her face by the way her father spoke. He sounded concerned.

"What happened, Baby Girl?" Taker asked.

"She's utterly pissed off. I tried to talk her down, but she won't listen." Angel said.

"That's not good." Kane said.

"We've got to figure out where she is." Taker said.

"She was walking. It'll take us forever to find her." Angel said.

"Aunt Angel!" Wyatt's voice yelled.

Taker and Kane turned and looked. Wyatt was running toward them at a high rate of speed. They were shocked. Kristy never let Wyatt leave the locker room for fear of Wade Barrett getting hold of him and taking him away and given that Barrett had been following them around, staring at Wyatt avidly, Angel understood it.

"Wyatt, what are you doing here? You know you're not supposed to leave the locker room!" Angel said.

"I know, but I asked Mom if I could come and find you guys. Maybe I can help." Wyatt said.

"How?" Taker asked.

"Maybe I can talk to her. She might listen to me." Wyatt said.

"That's not a bad idea. Same age group same mind set." Kane said.

"Not really. Lea's livid." Taker said.

"Let the kid try, big brother. I certainly wouldn't have to take her on." Kane said.

"Alright, fine. Wyatt, just remember that Lea's really mad so don't get upset by what she says, okay?" Taker said.

"And be careful about what you say." Angel advised.

"Right." Wyatt said.

He closed his eyes. It was a second later when he heard Lea's angry voice ask him what he was doing there and that he couldn't stop her either so there was no point in trying.

 _"Lea, you're mad and we all get it, but this will work itself out just like everything else does." Wyatt said._

 _"Mad? Mad doesn't even begin to describe it, Wyatt. That man has pretty much signed my sister's order of execution!" Lea snapped at him._

 _"But what does hurting him do? Your Daddy is smart. He'll think of something. You're worrying everyone. Come on, Lea. You're my best friend. Don't do anything rash, please." Wyatt said._

 _"Shut up!" Lea said._

 _"Lea, stop it. Let Stephanie talk to him. Well, if he ever peels himself off the canvas that is." Kane chimed in._

 _"What good can she do?" Lea snapped._

 _"Lea, she's a McMahon. Therefore Hunter has to listen to her. Not only that, but I've suspected for a while that she wears the pants in the relationship." Taker added._

Kane looked at Taker with wide eyes and a look that clearly said he was creeped out by what his brother had just said. Taker laughed and Angel just grinned. She could tell that her Uncle was weirded out, even if she couldn't see it.

"Don't look at me like that, Little Brother, you know it's true." Taker said.

"You're right." Kane said.

"Lea, if Stephanie can't fix this, we'll work something out, alright? Just calm down and come back to the locker room." Angel said.

" _No!" Lea snapped._

Angel sighed. Their only option now was to walk around the arena, trying to find Lea. They walked around for a long time, checking other locker rooms and offices and still no Lea. Not only that, but she wasn't talking to them anymore. Angel suggested that they check the stairwells. Taker agreed, figuring that Angel and Lea were alike in nearly every other way too so that might not be so different. They checked the first stairwell which lead to one of the emergency exits, but Lea wasn't there. The second one they tried lead to the roof. They got lucky. When Kane opened the door, Lea was lying face down at the bottom of the stairwell.

Losing control over her powers had drained her strength, much like it did to Angel. Taker looked down at Angel. She just nodded, saying that it was alright to set her down now and that she was okay. He set her down and picked Lea up. She stirred and opened her eyes. A smile crossed her face when she saw everyone there.

"I knew you'd find me if I went into a stairwell" she told them in a whisper.

"Shush, Little One, you need to rest now" Taker said.

"But…Daddy, what are we gonna do? You and Uncle can't do this. You'll have to hurt Angel and I know you don't wanna" Lea said.

"You're right, Lea. We don't want to hurt Angel and we're not going to. But if we don't do this…well, I don't even want to imagine what will happen" Taker said.

"You have a choice here, Little Lea. Have the two of us fight Angel and have her maybe get hurt a teeny tiny bit or have Hunter do it and have her get brutalized" Kane said.

"But she's gonna get brutalized anyway if she manages to get past you guys! That Brock guy is so…so…." Lea said.

We know, Baby Lea, but if I don't do this, things will be a whole lot worse for me than they are now" Angel said.

"So what are you gonna do, Aunt Angel?" Wyatt asked.

"Well, Wyatt, I think it's time for me to go back to my roots. It's the only way I have a hope of surviving this one" Angel said.

"You mean the Dead Girl is coming back again?" Lea asked her sister, her eyes lighting up.

"Yep. No more…well, I won't say no more Angel because if I can, I'll blend the two together the way Daddy has. He's taken bits from all his gimmicks over the years and mixed them together and made it awesome. It's time for me to do that. Now, we just need to find a way to get me off TV so I can make the transformation" Angel said.

"Leave that one to me, Little Angel. I'll talk to Stephanie and see if she can come up with something" Kane said.

"Alright then. Thanks, Uncle" Angel said.

"No problem" Kane said.

"I'm glad the Dead Girl is coming back…but what about the match with Papa Taker and Kane?" Wyatt asked.

"I don't know, Wyatt" Angel said.

"Little Angel, just think of it as a training exercise if that will help. I mean, you have trained with the two of us for a while now. Just put yourself in that mindset" Kane said.

"I never would have thought to do that" Angel said.

"Whatever happens, please be careful, Angel" Lea said.

"Of course, Baby Lea, but right now you need to rest and we need to get back to the locker room" Angel said.

Lea nodded. She closed her eyes and fell asleep within seconds. Angel and the others started walking back to the locker room. Suddenly, Angel stopped dead in her tracks. Kane and Taker stopped too. Angel pushed Wyatt behind her just as Wade Barrett stepped from the shadows. Angel felt Wyatt squeeze her hand tighter. Wyatt had been scared of Barrett since he was small even though he knew the truth. The reason was that he had first appeared in the little boy's dreams as nothing but a shadow and had told him lies about his Mom and the rest of the people that he considered family.

"What do you want?" Angel asked.

"The boy of course" Barrett answered her.

"Not on your life" Angel snapped.

"Hand over the boy and I won't have to hurt you" Barrett said.

Angel just smirked and raised her free hand in the air, telling Barrett that if he wanted Wyatt, he'd have to go through her to get to him. Barrett laughed. Angel turned around and knelt down. She pulled her hand free from his. She could tell that Wyatt was scared even though she couldn't see him. She hugged him.

"Aunt Angel, what are you going to do?" Wyatt asked.

"I want you to go with Papa Taker and Kane, alright? I'll be fine. I promise. Just go with them and be with your Mom, got it?" Angel asked.

"But…Aunt Angel…" Wyatt said.

"Please, Little Man, go with them. It would kill your Mom if something happened to you. Now go."

"But…if something happens to you…it'll hurt her just as much."

"I'll be fine."

Wyatt looked from Angel to Taker and back a few times before giving Angel a hug and telling her that he loved her and he would keep his Mom away so she didn't get hurt. Angel nodded. Taker looked at Angel. Even though she couldn't see him in the conventional way, she could tell that he wanted her to be careful. She just nodded again. Wyatt ran to Taker and the four of them left. Angel didn't waste time after that. She rolled her eyes back into her head and a white glow surrounded her. She had fully activated her powers.

"I suggest you back off now. Go back to whatever hole you managed to worm your way out of and keep your disgusting, vile hands off my Godson. If you do not, I can assure you that you will pay dearly" Angel snapped.

"Like you could do anything to me" Barrett snapped, smirking.

Angel laughed. She held her hand out in front of her and Barrett was sent flying backwards into the wall. Then Angel blinked. She went back to normal. Then she turned on her heel and walked back to the locker room. When she walked in, Wyatt was hugging Dean and crying. Angel walked over to Roman and gave him a hug and a kiss. Then she walked over and knelt down. She tapped Wyatt on the shoulder.

"Go away" Wyatt said.

"Come on, Little Man. Don't ignore me like that" Angel said.

Wyatt stopped crying and turned around. He threw his arms around Angel's neck. Then he looked Angel up and down making sure that she didn't look hurt. When he saw that she was fine, he hugged her tighter and kissed her cheek.

"Aw, Wyatt…" Angel said.

"Ang…thank you" Kristy said.

"Don't mention it, girl. I know what it would do to you if something happened to him" Angel said.

Kristy nodded. Angel stood up and Kristy gave her a hug. Angel looked at Roman and Dean. They both looked concerned about her. She wasn't the only one. She could feel everyone looking at her with the same worried look.

"Do you have a plan, Angel?" Dean asked.

"I'm going through with this" Angel told them.

"What?!" Bret said.

"No way! You can't!" Roman said.

"Have you lost…?" Dean started.

"No, Dean, my mind is perfectly intact. But think about what could happen to me if I don't do this" Angel said.

"You know…she has a point" Roman said.

"If she doesn't do it, she could be put through worse" Dean said.

"Angel Marie Calaway, you have lost it! They're your family for goodness sake. And what happens if you manage to get past them? What are you going to do against Lesnar?! They don't call him the Beast for nothing! What are you thinking? Or are you thinking?" Bret said.

"Bret, shut up. You know as well as I do that if I don't do this, Hunter will just come up with something that could potentially do to me what I did to Jen and her friends last week. Right now, I'm worried about getting by Uncle and Daddy. I'll worry about Lesnar if I have to" Angel said.

Bret went silent. Everyone knew that Angel was right. If she wiggled her way out of this somehow, Hunter would just come up with something worse to do to her later. They also knew that looking past Taker and Kane was a bad idea and that worrying about Lesnar would have to wait. Then Angel walked over and hugged Roman and gave him another kiss.

"What was that for?" Roman asked.

"That might be the last time I ever get to do that" Angel said.

"Angel, what are you talking about?" Owen asked.

"I'm…going to have to go back to full Dead Girl for this otherwise I'm going to get killed. And Roman might not…" Angel started.

"Hey, you listen to me, Angel Calaway, I love you for you. I don't care if you're yourself or the Dead Girl when you get into that ring as long as you come back safe every night" Roman said, giving Angel a kiss.

Angel flung her arms around his neck, grinning. Then he kissed her again and Dean hugged Kristy and kissed her. The two of them had to head back to The Shield's locker room before Seth got suspicious about where they were. They left. Angel was grinning. Her Grandpa Dean and Uncle Liam—who were still there visiting and were determined to stay until after this whole thing played out and they knew for sure that Angel would be alright—spoke up for the first time that night.

"I gotta hand it to that kid, every time he's around, Angel is all smiles" Liam said.

"I told you that he makes our Angel Baby happy and that it'd be fine" Grandpa Dean said.

"Yeah, well…" Liam said.

"You don't trust him, do you?" Angel asked.

"Not particularly" Liam said.

Angel just shook her head. She grabbed her bag and left the locker room. Grandpa Dean, Liam, and Taker—who was carrying the still sleeping Lea—followed her. Angel didn't say much. She was lost in thought. She'd need a miracle to get through this next Pay-Per-View and the buildup for it.

* * *

 **Well, that's it. The point is to punish Angel by making her do one of two things that she doesn't want to do. One being face Taker and Kane and the other being facing Kristy, although given that I'm gonna incorporate the new WWE Women's Title into this ASAP, that might just happen. I'm also gonna be mixing it up a bit and throwing Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Paige and Charlotte in here at some point because I like them...although Charlotte a lot less since she became Champ, so look out for that. Alright, leave a review and I will see you all later. Bye for now!~Love Taker's Soul Girl**


	25. Building it Up

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. Geez. I know it's been awhile, but I've been busy getting ready to move. And I had a bit of a hard time with this chapter. Anyway, I gotta send a thanks to Vader23A who helped me out with this chapter. Thanks so much.**

 **Thanks to: duelistamy, blackbear1020, Cena's baby doll, and nattiebroskette for their reviews. You guys are awesome.**

 **Alright, I will see you all at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Building it Up**

It was the next week and everyone sat in the locker room. Everyone except Angel that is. She was pacing back and forth. All week, she had tried to figure out what she was going to about this whole thing and how the buildup was going to go. She didn't want to walk out and say stuff about her Father and Uncle. Nor did she want to have to go out and say things about Lesnar either, knowing that if she did so, she'd get herself hurt or killed.

Angel stopped pacing when she heard The Shield's music hitting. She stopped and looked. Roman and Dean were headed to the ring without Rollins in tow, which was surprising. She wondered what they were doing there.

The two men came into the arena through the crowd. The cameraman backed away from them. He could tell by the look on their faces that they weren't happy. They asked for microphones and climbed into the ring.

"The look on Dean and mine's faces probably say it all, but let me explain what happened last week. Triple H has put Angel in two matches in two weeks at the Over the Limit Pay-Per View. The first of them is a two on one handicap match with the Brothers of Destruction and the second is a one on one match with the Beast Brock Lesnar if she survives the first one. This is punishment for what Angel did to Jen and her friends" Roman stated.

"Now, Kane and Taker…they may be big vicious, and evil when they step into this ring, but outside of it, they love Angel and their whole family. That being said, they don't want to do this, but they have no choice. If they don't do it, something worse will happen to Angel later. Now, Roman and I have known Angel for quite a while. We met her when she first came back and was in NXT. I can tell she's kind and caring. Roman knows she's kind and caring too and so do the rest of you. Am I right?" Dean asked, holding the microphone in the air.

The fans screamed. Back in the locker room, Angel was beaming from ear to ear. She glanced at her father, Grandfather, two Uncles, and baby sister. Even though she couldn't see it, she could tell that they were beaming too. Wyatt was jumping up and down. Kristy was cheering. Bret and Owen were looking at each other, grinning.

"What Angel did to Jennifer and her friends was years of frustration coming to the surface. That's all it was. And Jennifer and company just happened to be on the receiving end of it. It really could have been anyone on the other side of that ring and Angel still would have done the same thing" Dean said.

"OK, enough. Dean and I could stand here all night and talk about what we're gonna do to Triple H on Angel's behalf and get our answers that way. Or he could be a man about it and come out to this ring and give Dean, Angel, all of you, and I some answers the easy way" Roman said.

The fans screamed for Hunter to come out and Roman and Dean waited as patiently as they could. After about ten minutes, there was still no Triple H. Dean sighed.

"Hunter, if you don't get out here right now, Roman and I will walk back there, drag your corporate ass out to this ring and do whatever we have to do until you give us answers" he snapped.

They waited again. This time, the Authority came out to Triple H's King of Kings song. Stephanie followed him, looking worried. She wasn't worried about what Dean and Roman would do. She was more worried if Angel was going to show her face and do something to Hunter. She hoped Angel wouldn't risk it since she was a talented Diva and Stephanie didn't want anything to happen to her.

Stephanie was outright furious with Hunter. So much so, that she had barely spoken to him all week. It wasn't the inter gender match idea that bothered her since she knew that Angel was more than capable of handling herself against the boys, given she had been trained by the Harts and the Brothers of Destruction. It was because Hunter's ego had gotten in the way of business. Although she didn't agree with Angel's actions, she understood that a person could only take so much before they snapped.

Roman and Dean stood there, using every ounce of restraint they had between them to not pounce on Hunter and kick his butt in the middle of the ring. Hunter asked for a microphone.

"I knew this was about what I announced last week" Hunter said.

"You're damn right it is. What you did is out of line! You had no right!" Roman said.

"I had every right, Roman. I'm the…" Hunter started.

"Yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah. You're the Chief Operating Officer. We know" Dean said.

"Hold on, you three. Hunter, Dean, Roman…wait a second, alright?" Stephanie said, stepping in between them, "Roman, I know…you're upset. I promise I'll try and convince him to change his mind, alright?"

Roman didn't say a word. He just opened and closed his fist a couple of times before nodding. Dean nodded too. Roman took the microphone from Stephanie, but before he could say anything Dean spoke up.

"As tempted as we are to destroy you right here, right now, we won't. Instead, we're gonna wait until our time is right. When that happens, you're going to regret this stupid decision" Dean said.

"And it will come sooner rather than later if something bad happens to Angel during those matches. Believe that. And believe in the Shield" Roman snapped.

The two of them threw down their mics and left the ring. They were headed for Angel's locker room when Seth came up behind them and put his hands on their shoulders. Dean and Roman turned around. They weren't surprised by the fact that he looked disgusted.

"You're defending that psycho?" he asked.

"Seth, shut your mouth unless you want my fist in your face" Roman snapped at him.

"Or my boot up your ass" Dean added.

"Is there something going on with you and Angel, Roman?" Seth asked.

"If there was, I wouldn't be stupid enough to tell you. You'd go running to everyone who would listen and tell them" Roman snapped.

They turned and walked away from Seth. The ties between the three members of the Shield were getting more and more frayed lately. Roman and Dean were sure that the inevitable break up was coming, it was all a matter of when and how. Roman and Dean walked to the locker room and knocked on the door. Taker opened it and let them in. Angel ran to Roman and gave him a hug and a kiss and then she hugged Dean.

"You guys...thanks. You didn't have to do that" Angel said.

"Hey, it was no problem, Angel" Dean said.

"Yeah. Oh, by the way, I think Stephanie knows there's something going on between us. And I think Seth has figured it out too" Roman said.

"Oh, that's just great" Angel said.

"Well, Stephanie could tell that he was really upset. And then jackass—aka Seth—asked him directly if there was something going on between you two" Dean said.

"I said that if there was, I wouldn't tell him because he'd go telling anyone and everyone" Roman said.

"What do we do now?" Angel asked.

"I don't think that the Shield is going to last much longer, Angel. There's a ton of tension between the three of them. It's only a matter of time now" Bret said.

"That is so not going to be fun" Kristy said.

"I hope it happens sooner rather than later. I'm getting awful sick of having to keep this whole thing bottled up and hidden. It sucks" Angel said.

"You two do realize that once he finds out, he's gonna make things hard on us...and you two. Right?" Dean said.

"Let him" Angel and Kristy told him.

Dean and Roman looked at each other, but nodded anyway. Angel grinned and slipped into the bathroom to change. She had to go out and talk to the fans, but this time, she was at a total loss for what she was going to say. When she came out of the washroom ten minutes later, she was wearing a black tank top, jeans, her sneakers and a trench coat. Kristy painted her dark circles under her eyes.

"Ang, what's with the coat?" Kristy asked.

"Gradual re-transformation" Angel said.

"Can you pull it off in two weeks?" Owen asked.

"I'm gonna try. I need to get back to my roots if I'm gonna make it through Over the Limit" Angel said.

"What are you going to tell the fans anyway, Angel?" Lea asked.

"Whatever comes to mind. Wish me luck." Angel said.

"Good luck" Lea and Wyatt said in stereo.

Angel laughed. She pulled off her jewelry and handed it to Taker. Then she gave him, Lea, Wyatt and Roman hugs and left the locker room. She was nervous this time. Usually when Angel went out to the ring, she had a rough idea of what she was going to say, but this time, she had nothing. Angel calmly walked down to the ring using her Three Days Grace theme song. She stepped into the ring and asked for a microphone. Then she took a deep breath.

"Usually, I come out here and put a mic in my hand and just say what I need to say. Usually what I need to say comes to mind no problem. However, this time, it's a little different. I'm not sure what to say about Triple H's announcement last week" Angel said.

Just then as if on some sort of cue, Angel heard Triple H's music hit. She sighed and rolled her eyes. Stephanie was following him too, but she didn't look happy to be there. The two of them got in the ring and asked for microphones. Triple H smirked.

"Angel, this is the part where you come out and say that you're going to beat the Brothers of Destruction and the Beast Brock Lesnar and you tell the fans how it is you're going to do it" he reminded her.

"If you think for one second that I'm going stand out here and mouth off about my Dad, my Uncle and Brock Lesnar, then you must really not be able to look past your nose. Contrary to what you think, Triple H, there is no way that I am that stupid" Angel said.

"Oh?" Hunter asked.

"I have too much respect for my father and Uncle to mouth off about them. Because honestly, they have worked harder than anyone I have ever known. They've also done a lot for the business. And frankly, I'm afraid of Lesnar and I know for a fact he would walk out to this ring and beat me senseless if I say things about him, so I'm not about to do that. Again, I'm not that stupid" Angel snapped at him.

"Angel, please do something for me would you?" Stephanie said.

"Uh...that depends on what it is. I know I usually do things without question or complaint, but this time, I don't know..." Angel said.

"This won't be so hard, don't worry. Say how you really feel about this to Hunter's face" Stephanie said.

"Are you sure?" Angel asked.

"I'm sure. Go ahead" Stephanie said.

She dropped her microphone and left the ring. She knew she would have to deal with Hunter's inevitable anger later, but she would deal with it when she had to and not before. He didn't like it when people stood up to him and she knew it, but this time she knew Angel was at a loss for what to say. She also knew that Angel was right. Kane and Taker had both worked hard to get where they were at and it wasn't right to have someone in their own family disrespect them. She also knew that Angel wouldn't do that. Then there was Lesnar, who probably would kill her if she said the wrong thing.

"Alright fine. You want to know how I feel about this Hunter?" Angel asked.

"Since you have Stephanie's permission to do this, I have no choice but to listen to it" Hunter said.

"I did what I did to Jennifer and her friends because I snapped. I'd had enough of the bullying. I'd had enough of Jennifer's whining and cheating and getting everything she wanted with no hard work. My frustrations boiled over. And what Dean and Roman said earlier is true. It could have been any Diva across that ring from me and the same thing would have happened" Angel said.

"And I'm supposed to care?" Hunter asked.

"No. What you're _supposed_ to do is not punish someone for losing their temper. What you're _supposed_ to do is realize that a person can only take so much before they snap. And above all, what you're _supposed_ to do is look past your ego—which may be the one thing you have that's bigger than your nose—and realize that sometimes business needs to come first" Angel snapped at him.

"What's your point?" Hunter asked.

"I just made my point. What happened to your God daughter and her friends could have happened on any given night to any given Diva. I still would have snapped. My other point? Stop thinking about you and trying to feed your ego and start thinking about the WWE and what is best for the people on your payroll" Angel snapped.

"Why you little...you come out here and lecture _me_ about how to run my business?" Hunter snapped.

"Last I checked, Triple H, your father in law was still the Chairman of the WWE. Therefore, that makes it _his_ business, not yours. As for these matches you put me in, well, frankly, I hate it. I hate it because I'm being punished for no reason. But I also know that if I do manage to get out of it, you'll just do something worse to me later. So therefore, I'm just going to say this. I'm just going to give it everything I've got like I always do because that's what my family and the fans expect. If I beat the Brothers of Destruction at Over the Limit, then fine. That means I face Brock Lesnar. I...don't see myself winning that one in all honesty, but again, I'll give it my best" Angel said.

"How admirable" Hunter said.

"Oh, Hunter, by the way, you're going to learn a lesson of your own at Over the Limit" Angel said.

"And what is that?"

"You're going to learn that you can knock me down and even kick me when I'm down, but I will rise again and when I do, I will be stronger than ever. And I will make you Rest...In...Peace" Angel said, a slight growl creeping into her voice.

She dropped her microphone and left the ring. The fans cheered as she walked back to the back. She wasn't really looking where she was going and she bumped into someone. When the person spoke, she gasped. It was Brock Lesnar of all people.

"Uh...um...sorry about that...I..." Angel started.

"It's OK. I was looking for you anyway. I just wanted to tell you something before our match" he said.

"Oh?" Angel asked.

"I'm not happy about this either. I am a lot of things, but a Woman beater is not one of them. I actually feel like sending Hunter on a one way trip to Suplex City" Lesnar said.

"Be my guest, Brock" Angel said with a laugh.

"Seriously, though. If you happen to beat your Dad and Uncle and have to get in a match with me, I'll try to be careful, OK?"

"Alright. Thanks" Angel said.

She walked off, feeling shocked. This was the exact opposite of what she had heard about Lesnar. She had heard that he was hard to get along with and only back in WWE so he could make good money while at the same time do less work. She walked quickly back to the locker room and when she opened the door, Taker and Lea both hugged her and so did Kristy and Wyatt.

"It's about bloody time someone told him off" Kristy said.

"You know he won't be happy about this right? He got told off by a woman" Taker said.

"I don't care. Every word was true" Angel said.

"You OK, Angel?" Lea asked.

Angel nodded. Then she explained what had happened with Brock Lesnar in the hallway. Everyone was surprised except for Taker. He knew Brock quite well and knew that he had told the truth. Lesnar was a lot of things, but a woman beater he was not and he was only doing this because he had to.

"I've known Lesnar for a long time, baby girl. He has been called a lot of things by a lot of people, but he is not a woman beater. It doesn't surprise me that he's not happy about this" Taker said.

"That's what he said to me. I'm inclined to believe him for a change" Angel said.

"Are you and Kane going to have anything to say about this, Papa Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"Kane and I are like Angel. We don't really know what to say to the fans" Taker said.

"Somehow you two walking out and saying Angel is going to Burn in Hell and going to Rest in Peace and all that won't go over so well. Will it Daddy?" Lea asked.

"Somehow I don't think so" Taker said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Owen was closest to the door so he answered it. Kane and Stephanie stood there. Owen let them in. Stephanie looked around and smiled.

"I knew there were things going on with you and Angel, Roman" Stephanie said.

"Yeah, there is. Just...keep it from Hunter will you? I don't want Hunter using me against Angel like he's done with Kane and Taker" Roman said.

"Right" Stephanie said.

"So what's going on?" Angel asked.

"You're taking the time between now and Over the Limit off, Little Angel. You need to be at a hundred percent for this one. It won't be easy" Kane said.

"And you've got a re-transformation to make from what I hear" Stephanie said.

"Yeah, I do" Angel said.

"And, well, next week...your father and uncle have to go out and talk about what they're going to do...at Over the Limit" Stephanie said.

"Lovely" Taker said.

"I know you guys don't like it, but it's part of the job" Stephanie said.

Taker and Kane looked at each other and nodded. They knew that Stephanie was right. They would have to go out and talk about the situation they were in right now. They weren't looking forward to it either. Neither one knew what they were going to say. They knew Lea was right and that going out and telling the crowd that Angel was going to Rest in Peace and Burn in Hell wasn't going to go over too well. Contrary to what Angel thought, fans loved her.

"Do they have to, Ms. McMahon?" Wyatt asked.

"Unfortunately, Little Guy" Stephanie answered him.

Wyatt nodded. Stephanie was right. It was part of the job and Kane and Taker were doing it because they had to and not because they wanted to. Stephanie said she was sorry and that she couldn't do anything to get Hunter to change his mind and that they would have to go through with this because he was more determined to see Angel punished after what had happened that night. Then she left. Kristy looked at Angel, Kane and Taker, looking stunned.

"Look, before you speak...we have no choice, alright? It sucks, but we're stuck with it. Hunter is out to punish me and that's fine. I've taken worse punishments before" Angel said, giving Kristy a meaningful look.

"I can't believe you're doing this" Kristy said.

"Do you want us to not do it and have to watch me go through worse later?" Angel asked.

"Well...not really" Kristy said.

"Alright then" Angel said.

She went and changed out of her ring gear. When she came out, she was wearing jeans and a tank top. She felt exhausted. She hadn't been sleeping well as of late. Her nightmares had returned full force ever since Hunter had announced this match. She rubbed her eyes. Lea hopped up on the couch and climbed into her sister's lap. She stared at her worriedly.

"Don't worry, Lea. As soon as this is over, I'll be fine" Angel said.

"But what about until then?" Lea asked.

"I don't know, Lea. I'll just have to deal with the nightmares I guess" Angel said with a shrug.

Lea nodded and gave her a sister a hug, but she still looked worried. She wasn't the only one. Everyone who was close to Angel was worried about her. Even Stephanie was worried about Angel and how this was going to affect her going forward.

Angel set Lea beside her and stood up. She picked up her bag and left the locker room, telling her father that she'd be waiting outside for them and that she needed to think. When she left, Stephanie turned to Taker. She started to speak, but Taker held up his hand and stopped her.

"The only way that this is going to affect Angel going forward is if your husband holds onto his grudge and makes life hard for her. Do your best to not let that happen and it'll be fine" Taker said.

Stephanie nodded. Taker knew Triple H quite well and knew that he could hold a grudge for a long time. Stephanie knew that as long as her husband was mad at Angel, it would indeed affect her going forward.

"I'll speak to him" Stephanie said.

Taker nodded and thanked Stephanie. Then they all left the locker room and met up with Angel. Then they headed back to the hotel. It had been a long couple of weeks and they weren't done yet.

* * *

 **Dun dun DUN lol cliffhanger! I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review! Bye bye for now!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	26. Another Long Night

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. I've finally updated this. Geez. Took me long enough? I got really stuck, life happened, and got writer's block! That being said, I hope you guys like this chapter.**

 **Thanks to: blackbear1020, JC Icedragonslayer, Wolfgirl2013, duelistamy, Cena's baby doll, and nattiebroskette for their reviews. You guys are awesome.**

 **Hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Another Long Night**

Kristy sighed as she walked into the locker room with Wyatt in tow. She was here without Angel for the first time in a long time and she had no idea where her best friend was. All Angel had told her was that she was going to go somewhere to make her retransformation and she would see her again at Over the Limit. Taker was the only one who knew where she was and was going to be keeping her up to date on what was going on during Raw for the next two weeks. Angel had originally asked Kristy to do this, but Taker knew that her powers weren't quite strong enough and he didn't want her to wear herself out. Kristy had other things to deal with. She was worried about Angel's upcoming matches and her Number One Contender's match against her own cousin Natalya and Nikki Bella to see who would face AJ Lee for the Diva's Title at Over the Limit.

Not only that, but Kristy had The Shield on her mind. She had seen the rising tension between the three of them for the last few weeks and knowing the business like she did, having grown up in it, she knew that something was going to happen. It was all a matter of when and who did what first. _Whether they're a heel stable or a baby face stable, they never last forever._ Kristy thought. Kristy was snapped out her thoughts when she heard Taker growl under his breath. She looked at the monitor to see Brock Lesnar walking to the ring with Paul Heyman. Taker and Lesnar weren't friends, but they didn't hate each other.

Kristy did know that when Lesnar had come to WWE everyone had worked hard to put Lesnar over, but Taker had invested quite a bit of time putting him over, giving him Pay Per View wins and showing respect to him, only to have him walk out and effectively having wasted all that time. Kristy was sure that Taker hadn't quite forgiven him for that yet and that this probably wasn't helping things.

The crowd was cheering as Heyman asked for a microphone. Kristy rolled her eyes. Lesnar never spoke for himself. Kirsty thought it was because that his voice was high pitched and didn't really fit with the whole Beast Incarnate persona.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman and I am the advocate for the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. He is the number one contender for John Cena's WWE World Heavyweight Title and he will face him at SummerSlam. However, for now, he has to set his sights somewhere else. And it may not be who you're thinking. You see, Brock Lesnar is a Beast. He is the most aggressive Superstar in WWE, but a woman beater he is not. He is not focused on Angel. He is focused on Triple H.

"You're probably wondering why this is. He's focusing on Triple H for making him face Angel in the first place. That is a low move, even for someone like Triple H who is known for pulling low moves. Angel, I know you're listening wherever you are, so I want to take this opportunity to genuinely apologize for what my client has to do to you at Over the Limit. I also want to let you know that Brock Lesnar has promised to end the match as quickly as he can so as not to hurt you." Heyman finished.

The fans were cheering. Kristy wasn't sure whether she believed Heyman or not. He was bad for lying. She looked at Taker and Kane, who was there as well. They both looked lost in thought. Wyatt was looking at them too and so was Lea. Lea spoke up first.

"What's wrong, Daddy? And Uncle?" Lea asked.

"Well, normally we wouldn't believe that last part of Heyman's little monologue…" Kane started.

"But given the circumstances and the fact that Lesnar doesn't want to do this, we're inclined to believe him for a change" Taker said.

Kristy nodded. She knew that Lesnar didn't want to fight Angel, but was put in a position where he had to. Just then, Bo Dallas's music hit. Kristy rolled her eyes. Bo was probably the most annoying superstar on the roster. He liked to give inspirational speeches and tried to get people to be more positive. The only problem was he did it in the most annoying voice possible. Bo decided to poke the proverbial hornet's nest and lecture Lesnar about "Bo-leiving" as he called it. He quickly found out that Lesnar was not in the mood. He found himself on the receiving end of two Suplexes. Then Lesnar left the ring. Both Angel's Uncle and Grandfather were staring at the monitor, looking stunned. However, Liam spoke up.

"Mark, you're going to let Angel do this?! Are you insane?" he asked.

"No, Liam. I'm still quite sane, trust me" Taker said.

"She can't possibly beat that…thing. I can't even call him a man! Why are you letting her do this?" Liam asked.

"I'm not letting her. She's being punished by Triple H. If she doesn't do this, he'll come up with something worse for her later. There's nothing we can do, Liam" Taker said.

"There is a way! You have to beat Angel so that she can't get to that guy" Liam snapped.

"Liam, that's enough!" Dean said.

"Dad, our Angel Baby is in big trouble here! Don't you realize that?" Liam snapped.

"I do realize that. But I also trust Mark…and Kane too. They aren't going to let anything happen to her" Dean said.

"Besides, Liam, you aren't the only one who is worried about Angel. We all are. But there's a reason she's gone at the moment. She's…changing herself. She's turning back into the Dead Girl so she can survive these matches!" Kristy said.

"But she still needs our help and the best thing we can do is believe in her!" Wyatt said.

"Wyatt…I don't know if…" Kristy started.

"No. We have to believe in Angel and believe that she'll win! And I do! I believe that she can win against Papa Taker and Kane and she has a good chance against Lesnar! I think she can do it! And if you don't believe in her, you might as well not be here!" Wyatt snapped at Liam, cutting Kristy off.

"Wyatt's right. There's nothing else he and I can do except believe in Angel! I know Grandpa Dean does. I know Wyatt does. I know Ambrose and Roman do. I know Dad and Uncle do too. And I do! And if you don't, Liam, you might as well leave because you're not going to be any use to Angel since you can't do much else either." Lea said.

"Even Uncle Taker and Kane can't help her against Lesnar. If they get involved, Angel could be disqualified or lose by count out" Kristy said.

"But what about when she faces Mark and Kane? How is she supposed to survive that?" Liam said.

"My brother and I just told her to think of it as a training exercise. She's going to give it her best" Kane said.

"Why don't you just throw the match?" Liam asked.

"Neither of us have ever done that in our career. We have never laid down for anyone. And Angel isn't about to let us do it on her account. She'll find it insulting" Taker said.

"Not only that, but laying down is quite possibly the most humiliating thing a wrestler can do, Liam. Even I know that" Dean said.

"Liam, try not to worry, alright? Angel will be fine. She's a fighter. You've seen her wrestle" Taker said.

"But Brock is not a wrestler…" Liam started.

"Liam, drop it. Everyone has enough to worry about. It'll all work out. Don't worry" Dean said.

Liam sighed, but he let the subject drop. He just hoped that everyone was right and Angel would make it through the match. He thought that Wyatt and Lea were right too. All he could do was believe in her and hope she would be alright.

Kristy sighed and stood up. She had a number one contender's match against her cousin Nattie and Nikki Bella to get to. She wanted another shot at the Diva's Title and she was sick and tired of the Bellas trying to hog the top spot and she wasn't alone. All the Divas seemed to think that the Bellas needed to go and there needed to be a change. Not to mention that AJ Lee had been at the top of the Division for a while and thought that she was over and above the rest of them, recently telling the other Divas that they were a bunch of useless, worthless women who couldn't lace up her Chuck Taylor shoes. Kristy and Nattie looked at each other and shook hands before leaving the locker room.

"What was that about? Sportsmanship or something?" Liam asked.

"Pretty much" Bret said.

"Sportsmanship and a "May the best Hart win" kind of thing" Owen said.

"I'm sure they don't care which one wins as long as Nikki doesn't" Taker said.

"But I thought Mom and Nikki were friends" Wyatt said.

"They get along, but Nikki is starting to think she's the be all and end all because she's dating John Cena" Kane said.

Wyatt and Lea rolled their eyes at that. Nikki seemed to be walking around as though she owned the place lately and everyone had noticed it. She had joined up with the Authority too and thus had turned on her sister Brie, even going so far as saying that she wished she had died in the womb. It made everyone sick.

Everyone watched as Nikki walked to the ring. This was followed by Nattie and finally Kristy. AJ was on commentary and to everyone's surprise, she had nothing but nice things to say about the two members of the Hart Family. It was clearly Nikki she took issue with. The bell rang and the two Harts went right after Nikki, taking her out and rolling her out of the ring. Then they turned to each other. They stared at each other for a long time.

Finally, Kristy moved first, running at her cousin and hitting her with three or four clotheslines. After that, the match was a bit of a tug of war with the two putting on a clinic in technical wrestling. They both even managed to lock Sharpshooters in on each other. Finally, Nattie got the advantage and kept it for a good twenty minutes or so. However, as she went for the Discus Clothesline that was made famous by her father, Kristy reacted. She ducked out of the way and scooped Nattie up and delivered the running power slam. The three count followed. Kristy celebrated, climbing the turnbuckles and raising her hands in the air. She was waiting for Angel to come out to let her know that the fans were cheering for her, but then remembered that Angel wasn't there.

She hopped off the turnbuckle and turned around. Nattie was up by then. She walked over to Kristy and hugged her, a huge smile on her face. She signed to Kristy that she had better win on Sunday. Kristy nodded. The two of them were about to leave the ring, when suddenly Nikki Bella reappeared and hit the both of them with the Rack Attack before storming off, evidently livid at having lost.

"Mom!" Wyatt said.

"What a sore loser!" Lea said, "At least Nattie took the time to congratulate Kristy and tell her she better win the title."

"Ambrose isn't happy right now" Taker said.

"How come?" Liam asked.

"Well, you already know that he and Kristy are an item so to speak…" Taker said.

"Yeah, so he's a little upset and I get that, but is something else up?" Liam asked.

"There's nothing he can do right now. He and Roman don't want Seth to know that they're with Kristy and Angel. Seth…doesn't think they're worthy." Taker said, a slight growl creeping into his voice as he finished his sentence.

"WHAT?!" Liam yelled.

"No way! Kristy and Angel Baby are…two of the most kind and compassionate people I've ever met! Obviously Ambrose and Roman think they're worthy enough." Dean said.

"Yeah, so Ambrose isn't happy. Both of them should be here any minute now." Taker said.

As if on cue, the locker room door burst open and Dean and Roman came in. Dean looked agitated. He started pacing back and forth and muttering to himself, trying to find a way to go and get Kristy from the ring without Seth seeing him.

"Hm. I have an idea, Ambrose. Put your hand on my shoulder." Taker said.

Dean nodded. He placed his hand on Taker's shoulder. Taker rolled his eyes back and the two disappeared. Out in the arena, a bell tolled and the lights went out. A few minutes later, the bell sounded again and when the lights came back on, the ring was empty. Kristy and Nattie were gone. At that exact moment, Dean and Taker reappeared. Dean had Kristy on his back and Taker was holding Nattie. He placed her on the couch. Dean placed Kristy on the other couch and sat down, looking worried. Wyatt and Lea stared at Taker in awe.

"Wow, Papa Taker, you're really powerful! I didn't know you could do that for other people too!" Wyatt said.

"Yeah, Daddy. That was cool." Lea said.

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do." Taker said.

"I didn't know you and Kane were that strong." Roman said.

"Yeah, we are. Although, both Angel and Lea are a hell of a lot stronger than the two of us" Kane said.

"Why is that anyway?" Roman asked.

"Well, since Angel was born of a Warrior and a Guardian it's simple really. She had the powers of the Dark Side placed in her, but thankfully Bethany influenced her more. She's what's called a Light Warrior. They…don't come along too often, but it can happen sometimes. Lea's the same way. I gave her my own powers, but thanks to Angel's influence it altered them" Taker said.

"Wow…" Roman said.

"But…if they're both Light Warriors and are super strong…wouldn't that make them more vulnerable to the Dark Side and their influence?" Dean asked, not taking his eyes off Kristy.

"Yes, it would. At least where Lea is concerned. We have to be careful and keep a close eye on her, but Angel's managed to build up a resistance to it. It takes a lot for Angel to reach that place now." Taker said.

"So…what happened with Jen…?" Roman said.

"She reached that place and didn't fight it. Well, it's not so much that she didn't fight it. She couldn't. Not in the middle of the ring with the fans watching." Taker said.

"Damn. Poor Angel." Roman said.

"Mark? Did you know that when she went to the ring that night?" Liam asked.

"Yes. I knew. But if I had stopped her, she would have been in trouble." Taker said.

"She had a dark aura around her the whole day that day. I could feel it." Lea said.

"Me too." Wyatt said.

"So could I. And Kristy could too most likely." Kane said.

"And you still let her go to the ring?" Liam asked.

"I had to. She could have faced serious consequences if she didn't. It's hard to explain" Taker said.

"No. I get it. She could have been fired. Angel loves this job and you know that, so you let her go" Liam said.

Taker nodded. Kristy sat up and stared around. A few seconds later, Nattie did the same thing. Kristy explained that she had indeed felt a dark aura around Angel the day that she had snapped and went crazy on Jen and company.

"I should have said something to her. Not that I feel sorry for Jen and her friends. They deserved it. It's just…if I had said something, Angel wouldn't be in this mess" Kristy said.

"Don't go blaming yourself, Kristy" Nattie said.

"Yeah. What's done is done. We'll get through this. Don't worry" Taker said.

"I know, Uncle Taker. Can we get back to the hotel? I want to see if Ang is alright" Kristy said.

"She's fine. Don't worry, Kristy. Besides, Kane and I are up next" Taker said.

Kristy sighed, but nodded. Kane and Taker looked at each other for awhile before leaving the room and heading for the ring. Neither one had any idea about what they were supposed to say this time around. Lea had been right when she had said that walking out and saying Angel was going to Burn in Hell and Rest in Peace wasn't going to go over well. The fans loved Angel way too much. The two brothers were standing in the gorilla position. Kane noticed that his brother was staring at him with a strange look on his face.

"What are you looking at me like that for, Big Brother?" Kane asked.

"Aren't you missing something, Little Brother?" Taker asked.

"I am?" Kane asked, looking at him confused.

Taker nodded and handed him his mask. Kane smiled and put it on. Then he undid his suit and folded it up and placed it on a nearby equipment crate. He was wearing his old 2003 ring gear. Kane put on his mask. He looked at his brother and grinned. They knew each other way too well. In the arena, the lights went out. Then a bell tolled.

Taker nodded to his brother and walked out to the ring. The fans cheered, but they could see that Taker didn't look happy about what he had to do. The Deadman walked to the ring and walked up the steps. He brought the lights back up and then stood in the ring, waiting for his brother.

A second later, Kane's pyro went off and he walked to the ring too. He had the same expression as Taker. He looked like he didn't want to be there and he didn't look particularly happy about having to be out in the ring, let alone having the distinct possibility of having to talk about beating his niece at Over the Limit. Both brothers asked for microphones. Taker took a deep breath.

"I have been here in the WWE for twenty-four years now. You would think that some people would have learned by now what happens when you back the Brothers of Destruction into a corner. You would think that they would know by now that backing both Kane and I into a corner never ends well for anybody." Taker said.

"Apparently there is someone, however, who after knowing us for a very long time, hasn't learned that lesson. Of course, I'm talking about Triple H. You've backed the both of us into a corner, Hunter. And…almost to add insult to injury…you're messing with our family and someone that the two of us care very much about" Kane said.

"If this was any other opponent, we would be standing here talking about how we'll destroy them. However, we want you want to understand something. What you see on Sunday is not what we want to present to you. It's Triple H letting his power go to his head to settle a petty feud with a twenty-three-year old woman" Taker said, shaking his head.

"All because said twenty-three-year old woman lost her temper. That's what this comes down to. Angel lost her temper—which could honestly happen to any one of us on any given night—and is being punished for it."

"We pride ourselves on giving the best performance possible every time we're in the ring, but if you think we're going to eviscerate Angel like Triple H wants us to, you're going to be sorely disappointed."

"That being said, we know that Angel is not going to let us lay down on her account. She'd be insulted and greatly offended if that happened."

"But know this, Triple H, anything that happens to Angel on Sunday and the two of us are going to hold you personally responsible."

"And if need be, you're going to face consequences that you can't even fathom."

"And you will Rest in Peace."

With that, the two brothers left the ring, still looking just as angry and upset as they had when they entered the arena. The two of them walked back to the locker room. Everyone was already ready to go. They apparently wanted to make sure that Angel was alright because she was at the hotel all by herself. They headed back to the hotel and found Angel sitting on the couch cross legged with a smile on her face.

"What are you smiling about, Ang?" Kristy asked.

"I'm going back next week. I've got a promo to cut" Angel said.

"About what?" Kristy asked.

"You" Angel said.

"Um…do I want to know?" Kristy asked.

"Don't worry. It's nothing bad. I've already talked to Stephanie. She's giving me air time" Angel said.

"You're going to talk about Mom?" Wyatt asked.

"She said it was nothing bad, Wyatt. Take it easy" Lea said.

"I know, but this has never happened before. Are they gonna turn you two against each other?" Wyatt asked.

"No. Nothing like that, Little Guy. I think I know what this is about" Taker said.

"Oh. OK then" Wyatt said.

Everyone looked at Taker. He shook his head. He wasn't telling. All everyone could do was wait and see what would happen at the next Raw and at Over the Limit.

* * *

 **Alright. thanks so much for reading my story. Hope you guys like. Please Read & Review. I already have ideas for the next couple of chapters, so yeah. Hope you like it. Bye!~Lots of Love Taker's Soul Girl**


	27. Stipulations

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. I finished this chapter. And it didn't take nearly as long. I know what I'm doing for the next chapter already, but I do have to let you know that I have started school again for the year, so I will do my best to update as often as I can. It will mostly be on weekends so DO NOT message me asking when the next chapter is coming out. PLEASE. I don't mean to be mean, but I have asked/said this before and still had people do it anyway.**

 **OK, thanks to tomwilliams1990 who helped me out a bit with this chapter. Thanks to: blackbear1020(you reviewed twice by the way and that will not make updates come any faster, im afraid), ASPIE95, nattiebroskette, Wolfgirl2013, and Cena's baby doll for their reviews.**

 **Alright, see you all at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 27: Stipulations**

It was the next week and everyone was in the locker room except for Angel. They all knew that she was in the arena somewhere and that she had a promo to do tonight about Kristy, but they weren't sure exactly where she was or what she was doing. She had to keep herself hidden until promo time and they knew it. Even so, Lea and Wyatt had gone hunting for her during the day and hadn't found her. Taker had been quite livid until the two kids had told them that they had left the locker room—which they weren't supposed to do due to everyone worrying about their safety—because they wanted to go and find Angel because they were worried about her.

"Don't worry, you two. Angel is fine" Taker said.

"Do you know where she is, Daddy?" Lea asked.

"Yes, I do, but I'm not telling you two. You'll go running right to her. And you're not supposed to see her until she comes out for her promo tonight" Taker said.

"But Daddy…" Lea said.

"No, Lea. You're not leaving the locker room. And you know Wyatt isn't supposed to either. You know it's not safe for him to be out of the locker room. Besides, you've already left once tonight and scared us" Taker said.

"I know, Daddy, but what if someone attacks her? What if Lesnar gets her or something?" Lea asked.

"No, Lea. You're not going. She's fine. Don't worry, alright? If she's in trouble, we'll know it" Taker said.

"Daddy…" Lea said.

"Lea Ann Calaway, I said no! Now, I don't want to hear any more about it!" Taker told her firmly.

Lea sighed but nodded anyway. She hadn't seen her sister in over a week, since Angel had gone off to transform herself back into the Dead Girl. Her father was keeping her sister hidden even from her. Lea sighed and leaned over to speak to Wyatt, making sure that his Mom and her Dad didn't hear what was being said.

"What do we do?" Wyatt asked.

"We wait for the right time and sneak out of here" Lea said.

"But…your Dad is always watching. How are we going to get past him?" Wyatt asked.

"We'll find a way" Lea said.

Wyatt nodded. They waited around for the right moment to sneak out. It came when everyone was distracted. Bret and Owen were talking with each other. Kristy had left the room to do an interview and left the door open a crack. Taker had gone into the washroom to change into his ring gear in case he was needed later. Wyatt and Lea looked at each other and nodded. Then they slipped through the slightly open door and went off in search of Angel.

The first thing they did was check all the stairwells, but they didn't find her there. Then they decided to make for the boiler room because that was the only other place she would go to if she needed to hide somewhere. They were headed there when they ran into the Shield. Seth glared at them while Roman and Dean tried not to look too concerned even though they were.

"And just what do you two little brats think you're doing wandering around here for?" Seth snapped.

"Uh-oh…" Lea said.

"Looks like we got caught" Wyatt whispered.

"What are you doing here, you two?" Roman asked.

"Um…we were going to going to the boiler room" Lea said.

"See, we were looking for Angel. We want to make sure she's OK. We've checked everywhere and the boiler room is the only other place we could think of. So we were headed there…" Wyatt explained to them.

"Oh. Well, don't let us stop you" Seth said.

"Seth!" Roman said.

"What the hell is wrong with you, dude?" Dean asked.

"What? They're not our responsibility. Just let them go" Seth said.

"It's not safe for them out here! Especially not for Wyatt. I've heard that Barrett has been following him and Kristy around the arenas lately. If he gets hold of Wyatt, it will kill Kristy" Dean said.

"If you two really want to find Angel, then let Dean and I come with you, alright? That way, if anybody tries to attack you, we'll be there" Roman said.

"You're not serious?" Seth said.

"We are a hundred percent serious, Seth. If you don't want to come, then fine. Go to the locker room. Dean and I will meet you there later. We're not going to let Lea and Wyatt wander around here looking for Angel alone! They could get hurt!" Roman snapped at him.

Seth just glared at Roman for a second before storming off. Lea and Wyatt were smart enough to wait until Rollins was out of earshot and eyesight before they beamed and squealed and hugged the two men. Roman and Dean knelt down, so they didn't look so intimidating to the two.

"What were you two thinking?" Dean asked.

"If anything happens to you two, do you know how everyone would react?" Roman asked.

"We know, Dean" Wyatt said.

"We know, Roman. It's just…Daddy has kept Angel hidden from everyone. Even me. I haven't seen her in over a week and I miss her. Daddy said I had to wait till the promo that Angel's gonna do tonight, but I don't want to wait" Lea said, tearing up.

Roman nodded. He hadn't seen or heard from Angel in over a week himself and he was starting to miss her, just in a different way then the kids were. The four them walked down the hallway and headed to the basement of the arena and to the boiler room. Dean opened the door and the four of them walked in. Wyatt clung to Dean, feeling afraid. It was darker in here than he had thought it would be. Lea looked around for her sister. She was walking when suddenly, she heard someone laugh. Lea stopped dead in her tracks. It wasn't Angel.

"Who's there?" Dean called out.

Wade Barrett stepped from the shadows. He wasn't alone either. He had Angel by the hair. She was sporting a black eye and a bloody lip, but was otherwise unharmed. Lea ran at Barrett, her hand balled into a fist. She yelled at him to let Angel go. Barrett dropped Angel and blocked Lea's punch. Then he shoved her backwards. Angel ran to Lea.

"Angel, are you OK?" Lea asked.

"Just fine. Daddy had me wait down here and he came in and caught me off guard. Are you OK?" Angel asked.

"I'm fine, Angel. I just wanted to see you is all." Lea said.

"Is Wyatt here too?" Angel asked.

Wyatt poked his head out from behind Dean. As soon as he realized Barrett was there, he had been smart and hid behind Dean. Angel noticed he was scared. She sighed and rolled her eyes back into her head and concentrated. She needed to get her father and uncle here and fast. _Daddy, Uncle, can you hear me? I'm down in the boiler room. Lea and Wyatt sneaked down here with Dean and Ro. Barrett is here too. It could get ugly. We need help. Please._ Angel thought. Then she blinked, returning her eyes to normal. She stared down at Lea and put her arms around her.

"Lea, I know you and Wyatt wanted to see me, but you shouldn't have sneaked out of the locker room. Daddy and Kristy are probably having fits right now" Angel said.

"I'm sorry" Lea said.

"We're sorry, Aunt Angel" Wyatt whispered, still looking at Barrett.

"You know what I want, Dead Girl. But as for you two, I'm going to say this once. Hand over the boy and I won't have to hurt any of you" Barrett said.

"You want him. You go through us" Roman growled.

"Angel, Lea. Get behind Roman and I" Dean said.

Angel nodded. She helped Lea to her feet and walked behind Dean and Roman. She walked up and grabbed Wyatt from Dean's leg. They went and sat down against the wall. Both of the kids climbed into Angel's lap and hugged her, burying their heads in her chest so they wouldn't have to see what happened next. Lea and Wyatt both started to cry. They had sneaked out of the locker room and now the people they cared about were in trouble.

"It's alright, you guys. It's OK. Thanks to you guys showing up, I was able to call Daddy and Uncle and tell them I was in trouble" Angel said quietly.

"Daddy is going to be so mad at us" Lea said.

"Mom is going to be angry" Wyatt said.

"It'll be alright, you guys. I think they're going to be more relieved that you're safe" Angel said.

"I hope you're right, Angel" Lea said.

Angel nodded. They stayed back and Roman and Dean stood there staring at Barrett. Angel could tell that Dean did not look happy to see him. He knew what Barrett had done to Kristy and just the idea of it made him feel livid. Not to mention the fact that Barrett had wanted nothing to do with Wyatt in the last six years and suddenly, there he was, taking an interest in the boy.

"So what's the deal with you? You raped Kristy and you've shown no interest in the boy for the last six years" Dean said.

"And your point is?" Barrett asked.

"What the hell changed? Why do you suddenly want to come along and take Wyatt away from his mother and the only people he has that have shown him love and compassion? What gives?" Roman asked.

"That's my son" Barrett said simply.

"I'm not your son! You're not my father! I don't have a father! You're nothing but a monster and I hate you" Wyatt snapped.

Barrett glared at Wyatt and then lunged for him, Angel and Lea. All three of them closed their eyes and waited for him to make contact. Nothing happened. When Wyatt opened his eyes, he saw his Papa Taker standing there, holding Barrett by the throat and looking absolutely livid. Angel heard Lea squeal and opened her eyes. She knew that everyone had come running. The only thing that could make Lea squeal like that was the sight of her father and Uncle.

"Mom! Bret! Owen! You made it!" Wyatt said.

"Daddy! Uncle!" Angel and Lea said at the same time.

"That was too close" Dean said.

"You got here just in time" Roman said.

They watched as Taker pinned Barrett to the closest wall and tightened his grip ever so slightly, cutting off Barrett's air supply. Everyone just watched, waiting to see what Taker would do to the man who had caused his Little Kristy so much pain and grief. He put his face as close to Barrett's as he could get. Their noses were almost touching.

"Listen, you filthy little weasel, if I catch you following us around, if you try and get your hands on Wyatt, and if you so much as think about hurting the people I love, I will rip your rotting soul from your body in the most painful way possible and you'll wish I had let the police deal with you. Got it?" Taker growled.

Barrett nodded furiously, telling Taker that he understood the consequences if he messed with Taker's family again. Then Taker choke slammed Barrett on the concrete floor and left him lying there. Then he turned and looked at Angel and Lea. Lea started to cry. Taker relaxed and then opened his arms. Lea ran to him while Wyatt ran to his Mom. Roman walked over and pulled Angel to her feet.

"D-Daddy…I-I'm…s-so s-sorry. I…j-just w-wanted t-to…s-see m-my s-sister. T-To…m-make s-sure s-she w-was s-safe" Lea sobbed.

"M-Mom…I-I j-just w-wanted t-to m-make s-sure A-Aunt A-Angel w-was a-alright. I-I d-didn't t-think t-this w-would h-happen. I-I'm…r-really s-sorry…" Wyatt sobbed.

"You two…" Kane said.

"Lea…Wyatt…" Bret said.

"You had us worried, you guys" Owen said.

"Don't cry, you two. Uncle Taker and I are just glad you're alright. But…Wyatt, now do you understand why I don't let you leave the locker room that often?" Kristy asked.

"I-I u-understand, M-Mom" Wyatt whispered, wiping his tears away.

"Lea?" Taker asked.

"I-I'm…s-s-sorry, D-Daddy" Lea said.

"It's alright, Little One. I'm just glad you're alright. I just want to make sure you understand why we don't let you leave the locker room without one of us with you" Taker said.

"I understand now" Lea said, wiping her tears.

Taker smiled down at Lea, who just stared at him. Then she smiled back. She looked over at Angel, who was hugging Roman and smiling. Kane walked over and placed his hand over the battered side of Angel's face. A red glow surrounded his hand. After a second, it stopped and when Kane removed his hand, Angel was healed and it looked like nothing had happened. Dean and Roman's mouths fell open making Kristy and Lea giggle. Angel grinned.

"I keep forgetting you two are new to all this power stuff" Angel said, trying not to laugh.

"Kane…just…how…did…?" Dean said in shock.

"Did…that…he…?" Roman said.

"We can heal minor stuff. It's not that big a deal really" Kane said with a shrug.

"Alright, you guys. If you're done staring open mouthed at my brother, Angel's got somewhere to be. Not to mention you two need to get back to your locker room before someone gets suspicious and wonders where you've been. And we need to get going so we can watch what goes down and make sure nothing else happens tonight" Taker said.

Everyone nodded. All of them, including Angel headed back to the locker room. Angel hugged her Grandfather and Uncle Liam when she walked in. Then she picked up her bag and went into the washroom. She changed into her ring gear. It was the set that her Uncle had bought her for Christmas that had helped her get back to the WWE in the first place. It was a tank top with an Undertaker symbol on it, a pair of pants with the words "Dead Girl" sewn on the legs with studs. She also had simple wrestling boots, elbow pads and fingerless gloves. She reached into her bag and pulled out one of Roman's shirts and pulled it over her head. Then she pulled on her hooded overcoat and zipped it up before putting the hood up. When she walked out of the bathroom, Lea and Wyatt beamed. Kristy pulled out her eyeliner and painted Angel's circles under her eyes.

"Yay! The Dead Girl is back!" Wyatt said.

"Not quite. I haven't got in the ring yet, Little Guy" Angel told him.

Wyatt nodded. He still didn't quite understand the concept of character separation. Angel hugged him and Lea and took off her jewelry and handed it to Taker in case she got into a fight out in the ring. Then she left the locker room and headed for the ring. When she got to the Gorilla position, she took a deep breath. It had been awhile since she had been in this persona and it felt somewhat strange. Out in the arena, a bell tolled and Rest in Peace began to play. Angel walked out to the cheers of the crowd. She walked to the ring and brought the lights back up. Then she stepped into the ring and asked for a microphone.

"Now, I know I have two big matches coming up this Sunday, but I'm not going to stand here and say things about my family. I have too much respect for them for that. And saying things about Lesnar would probably get me sent straight to Hell or Suplex City, neither of which I'm inclined to experience at the moment. No. What I'm out here to talk about is my best friend.

"I was watching last week when Kristy beat out Nikki Bella and Nattie to earn a shot at AJ Lee's Divas Title and I noticed something. I noticed that when I'm not around, Kristy shines in this ring. Now, I want to make something clear. I don't _ask_ to outshine Kristy. I don't _want_ to outshine Kristy. The reason I do is because the powers that be keep putting me in positions to do so and giving me all the opportunities. Opportunities that, if I could without getting in trouble, I would turn down and give to Kristy.

"You're probably wondering why it is that I feel this way and why I feel the need to say all this. I need to say all this because I am getting sick and tired of holding Kristy back. I feel this way because when Kristy gets in this ring, she is by far better than me. She is better than me on the microphone too. I also have a feeling that, once again, _someone's_ ego and personal animosity toward the Harts is getting in the way of business."

Just as she finished saying this, Triple H's music hit. He came out to the ring looking livid. Angel couldn't help but smirk. She had no idea why raising hell with the boss was so much fun, given what she had coming this Sunday. Hunter got in the ring and asked for a microphone.

"Are you trying to tell me that you think my ego and my personal animosity toward the Harts is making me hold Kristy back here in the WWE?" Hunter snapped at her.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you. And I'll go even farther. You're giving me all the opportunities I've had here because you are scared to death of my father and you think that if you don't give me the opportunities, he will kill you" Angel snapped back.

"It's a well known fact that Bret screwed Bret. Now, I may have helped the idea along a little, but that's all long gone history, Dead Girl, much like your career will be Sunday" Hunter said, smirking as he spoke.

Angel sighed and closed her eyes. She clenched her free hand into a fist repeatedly before she tried to speak and cut Hunter off. However, he wasn't going to allow that. He continued speaking.

"Sunday, when you're laying in a pool of your own blood at the feet of the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar, I will be able to retire you due to injuries. Why you ask? Because your match with Brock Lesnar will be a No Holds Barred match" Hunter said.

"First of all, don't hand me that "Bret screwed Bret" garbage because the whole world knows what the hell happened and why it was done! As much as I hate to say it, I understand your father in law's paranoia given what had happened previously with the Women's Title at the time. But that's not the point here. As for the No Holds Barred match, that's not really a big deal to me given I've been in Extreme Rules and Hell in a Cell in the past. Anything else?" Angel said.

"As a matter of fact, there is. You see, I've been here a long time, Dead Girl, so I know you have a lot of family and friends. Therefore, as of this moment I am going to say that anyone possessing a WWE contract is to stay out of this match or risk termination on the spot" Hunter said with a smirk.

"You're really trying to back me into a corner, aren't you?" Angel asked.

"Of course" Hunter said.

"Have you forgotten what my father and Uncle said last week? You know, about backing them into a corner?" Angel asked.

"Didn't they say something about how backing them into a corner never ends well for anyone?" Hunter asked.

"That's exactly what they said. And it's not only them. Backing me into a corner isn't going to end well either! I would seriously reconsider your choice, Hunter. Unless you want a Dead Girl who has her back against the wall going against Brock Lesnar" Angel said.

"Dead Girl, I could give you an assault rifle and you still couldn't drop Brock Lesnar" Hunter said, laughing.

"We'll see about that" Angel snapped.

She dropped the microphone and left the ring, walking back to the back. She was feeling angry. _First he brings up Bret! Then he backs me into a situation that I literally have no way to get out of!_ Angel thought as she stormed back to the locker room. She was completely livid. She slammed the door and the glass in the lights above them, shattered into pieces and rained down on everyone.

"Angel!" Bret said.

"Don't, Bret. Just don't, OK?" Angel snapped at him.

Then she went into the bathroom and changed out of her clothes. When she finished, she came out, threw her stuff in her bag and left without saying a word to any of them. Taker sighed. He was worried about Angel and just wanted this whole thing to be over with. It wasn't fair and they all knew it.

* * *

 **That's it for now. I hope you all like it. I will get to work on the next chapter as soon as I can. Remember: weekend updates only until December when I go on holidays from school. Anyway, please leave me some reviews. Love you guys!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	28. Punishment

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **I FINALLY got this done. Took me long enough. I want to apologize, but my days literally consist of school, errands for my poor Mom, and homework. If I'm lucky, I can fit gaming in there. I have to MAKE time for Fanfic and YouTube. Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter and so sorry for the long ass wait.**

 **Thanks to: nattiebroskette, Cena's baby doll, tomwilliams1990, Wolfgirl2013, & thejokersbrother for their reviews.**

 **thejokersbrother: Please go back and read DoD I & DoD II if you haven't already. Otherwise the stuff that's going on here might not make a lot of sense.**

 **Alright, see ya at the bottom!**

* * *

 **Chapter 28: Punishment**

Angel sighed as she walked into the arena with her family. She had Ozzie on his leash and was following her father and Uncle, but her mind wasn't there. It was off in another world, trying to figure out how she was going to get by her father and Uncle and—if she had to—Brock Lesnar later. She didn't even realize that her father was trying to talk to her. Suddenly, his voice broke through her thoughts.

"Baby girl? You in there?" he asked.

"Huh? Did you say something, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"I said that if you need to tonight, use your powers against your Uncle and I" Taker said.

"I can't do that! The fans will…" Angel started.

"Your safety comes first, Little Angel" Kane said, cutting her off.

"You'd never hurt her on purpose" Kristy reminded them.

"No, they wouldn't. But think about it. Both of them are almost seven feet tall and over three hundred pounds. I'm giving up at least a foot in height and about two hundred pounds or so, Kristy. Being hurt accidently is very much in the realm of possibility here" Angel said.

"She's got a point, Mom. Kane and Papa Taker are big and strong. Aunt Angel is kinda small. She's strong too, but she's small" Wyatt said.

"Thanks, Wyatt" Angel said.

"We're hardly going to try and hurt her, but accidents do happen in this business. We all know that" Kane said.

"I know what I'm getting myself into. I just need some time to focus. Biggest night and fight of my life here. Lea, stay with Daddy and Uncle. I'll be back when I've got my head on straight" Angel said.

She left them standing in the hallway and walked off. Kristy sighed audibly. She didn't understand why Angel always felt that she had to fix things on her own. She didn't have to. She had them to help her. It seemed as though she knew that, but still felt as though all of the weight had to be on her shoulders.

"Why the hell does she always do this? Why does she think she has to fix things by herself? She doesn't!" Kristy said.

"Kristy, think about who she has for a Dad" Bret said.

"I did the same thing before I met her mother. I thought I had to fix everything by myself. Here's hoping that she's found a soul mate to share the burden" Taker said.

"She wouldn't go see Roman would she? With Seth around and everything? If she goes to the Shield's locker room he'll be there won't he? What is she thinking?" Kristy asked.

"She's not. Her soul is acting on it's own. She needs the calming effect that only a loved one can give. If Rollins gets in the way, he'll know it" Kane said.

"Huh? How is her soul acting on it's own? That's not possible….is it?" Kristy asked.

"Why do you think I was a mute, walking flamethrower for so long, Kristy? I had no control" Kane said.

"Oh that's right. You didn't really have anyone either" Kristy said.

"I'm confused" Lea chimed in.

"What's wrong with Aunt Angel?" Wyatt asked.

"Don't worry, you guys. Basically, Angel needs to be with Roman right now. Regardless of Seth" Taker said.

"Oh, OK. So she'll be back later" Lea said.

"Um…right?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes, Wyatt, she'll be back later" Taker said.

"Just out of curiosity, what would Angel do if Rollins found them together?" Lea asked.

"Not a pretty thought" Kristy said.

Kane looked at them and ran his finger across his throat. Taker smirked, catching the implication of the gesture. Kristy, Bret and Owen were grinning in spite of themselves. Lea and Wyatt laughed.

"Pretty much" Taker said out loud.

"I would love to see Seth get it" Lea said.

"Especially if Aunt Angel did it. Can you imagine what Seth would have to go through if he got beaten by a blind lady?" Wyatt asked.

"He'd never live that one down" Kristy said.

Everyone laughed and continued walking. In another part of the arena, Angel was wandering around, directionless. Soon, she found herself standing in front of the door to the Shield's locker room. She hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door. She prayed that Seth wouldn't answer. She sighed in relief when she saw Dean standing there. He didn't say anything to her. He just nodded and let her in. He closed the door behind her.

"Angel? Are you OK? You don't look so good" Roman said.

"I just started walking and found myself here" Angel replied.

"Awe, it's like true love or something" Dean said, earning a glare from Roman.

"Where is Mr. Architect anyway?" Angel asked.

"He's off doing something…or someone as usual. We see him less often then Santa Claus" Dean said.

"Oh. Lucky for me then" Angel said.

"OK, seriously, are you alright? You look…well, you don't look so good, that's for sure" Roman said.

"I'm fine" Angel said.

"You're not fine. If you were fine, you wouldn't be standing here" Roman said.

"OK. OK. I'll come clean. I don't know what I'm going to do….at all. Like I'll walk to the ring, but from there I've got nothing. Not to mention the thought of Brock freaking Lesnar hovering over me. I figured if I'm going to die in the ring, I'd spend some time with you first" Angel explained.

"Do you guys like…need me to go to catering or Mexico or something? I mean, I'm pretty liberal, but I have limits" Dean said.

"DEAN!" Roman shouted.

"I didn't mean it like that, you pervert. Get your mind out of the damn gutter!" Angel said.

"But my mind is always in the gutter. I left it there when I came out of it" Dean quipped.

"Ugh. That's not what she meant" Roman said, "But on a more serious note, you're not going to die in the ring, sweetheart. You'll do fine"

"Yeah. Ro's right. You're tougher than ninety percent of the guys that I tussled with in the fields in Philly" Dean said.

"I guess…" Angel said.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, sweetheart. You're tougher than most of the women here, aside from a few. You're good at this. You'll be fine" Roman said.

"She's tougher than half the men" Dean said, nonchalantly as he rearranged a shelf.

"I know I'll be alright against Daddy and Uncle. I think it's Lesnar that's got me all out of sorts. He's not a wrestler. He's a fighter and he's going to easily rip me apart" Angel said almost in a whisper.

"Lesnar is a monster, yes, but you can out speed him" Roman said.

"Not to mention outwit him. I mean, he's got the brains of a Neanderthal. Heyman is the brains of the operation" Dean said, turning to look at them.

Angel sighed. She wanted to agree with them and she knew that what they were saying was true, but she didn't trust herself or her own abilities against someone like Lesnar. She realized then that it wasn't the idea of having to face her Daddy and Uncle that had her nerves on edge and had her out of sorts mentally. She accepted that this was the case and that thinking of it as a training exercise was the best idea and she would have to use some of her powers if she had any hope of even attempting to lift her Dad and Uncle. It was Lesnar that had her out of sorts.

"Babe, give yourself some credit, alright? You're good at this. And you also have your powers to aid you if it comes to that. And the move I taught you might help too" Roman said.

"Thanks, Roman" Angel said, hugging him.

"You be careful out there" Dean said.

Angel nodded. She kissed Roman and stood up. She left the locker room. She headed back to her family's locker room, completely unaware that Seth Rollins had noticed her leaving. He slammed the door open and stormed into the locker room, looking livid. Roman was in the washroom changing and Dean was sitting on the couch, sipping a soda.

"What was that psychotic bitch doing here?" he snapped.

"Not that it's any of your business, Seth, but Angel and Roman are friends and Angel needed someone to talk to is all. Get over it" Dean snapped back.

Seth didn't relax. He was livid that Angel would come anywhere near his two best friends. Back in the arena, Angel was walking to her locker room. She felt better now that she knew what it was that had her so out of sorts. It was the prospect of facing Lesnar. She walked into the locker room she shared with her family and was promptly jumped by Lea and Wyatt.

"Hey, you two. I'm alright. Really. It's just facing Lesnar has me out of sorts" Angel said.

"I understand why. I wouldn't wanna face him. He's a big brute" Wyatt said.

"What about Daddy and Uncle? What's the difference?" Lea asked.

"Well, Lea, I've accepted the fact that facing Daddy and Uncle is going to happen. They told me that the best thing to do is treat it like I'm training. I have to do that otherwise I'm not going to be able to do this at all. And I'll have to use my powers otherwise I won't be able to lift them off the ground" Angel told her.

"Well, that makes sense" Lea said.

"Oh, by the way, Aunt Angel. Miss Sandra dropped this off for you" Wyatt said.

Angel nodded. Sandra was the seamstress who made all the ring gear for both the Superstars and the Divas. Wyatt handed her a box. She took it and went into the washroom. When she opened the box, she grinned. With her powers helping her to see, she could tell that the gear was similar to that of Roman although she couldn't see the colors. It was a vest that was like Roman's but with an Undertaker symbol on the front of it. There was also a tank top that was clearly supposed to go underneath.

When she moved them out of the way, she saw leather pants with Dead Girl written on the legs. When Angel touched it, she realized that it wasn't written there, it was sewn on there in studs as per usual. There was also a belt and Angel noticed that the buckle was an Undertaker symbol as well. Her fingerless gloves had her father's symbols on them too. She had new boots and they were combat style. Last but not least, there was a hooded cloak there that was made of velvet. Angel was sure that it was a nod to her father's Ministry of Darkness days. She put on everything except the cloak and stepped from the bathroom. She cleared her throat and everyone turned and looked at her.

"Wow" Lea said.

"You look awesome, Aunt Angel" Wyatt said.

"You look so cool, Ang" Kristy said.

"Just one thing" Angel said, holding up her eyeliner.

Kristy nodded. She walked up and painted Angel's circles under her eyes. Angel noticed that something seemed to be bothering her friend. She was staring at Angel as if wanting to say something, but wasn't able to. Angel wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe it had something to do with something she had said last week.

"What's up?" Angel asked.

"I hate to ask this, but you know last week when you said that you'd gladly give up all the opportunities you've had and give them to me-?" Kristy started.

Angel held up her hand, cutting her friend off. She completely understood what was bothering her friend. Sometimes people in WWE would say one thing when they meant another or would say one thing and do the opposite. Angel placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Kristy, I understand why you'd feel like I was lying, given that this is WWE and the storylines have a habit of having us say one thing and do another or say one thing and mean something else, but I promise that I would not, under any circumstances, lie to you about anything. Ever. So, to answer your question, yes. When I said I'd gladly give up all my opportunities and give them to you, I meant it. I really did. I don't ask for them and I don't always deserve them. Frankly, Hunter only gives them to me because one, he doesn't like your family and two, I swear he thinks Daddy will kill him if he doesn't" Angel said.

"Even tonight?" Lea asked.

"Well, no. Not tonight. Honestly, I would rather have me do this than Kristy. She'd never be able to lay a finger on Daddy. Uncle maybe, but not Daddy. And Lesnar would easily break her in half. I've got my powers on my side if it comes to that" Angel said.

"This is one time where I'm inclined to say better you than me, Ang. You're better suited for this one" Kristy said.

"Dean and Roman think so too. They're sure I can out speed and out wit Lesnar" Angel said.

"You can. You're faster than him and he's got the brain of a Neanderthal whereas you have learned in ring psychology from some of the best" Kristy said.

Angel nodded. Then she pulled out her cloak and put it on. She saw her father's eyes widen slightly and giggled. Lea and Wyatt were staring at her in awe. She looked more like a druid then the Dead Girl. She pulled the hood off. Then she spun around and stared down at herself.

"What's up, kiddo?" Bret asked.

"You know how I can use the new powers that activated when I went blind? The ones that help me to see?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. You can see us because of them and it's awesome" Lea said.

"They're great and all and I'm glad I have them since I can see you guys, but there is a downside to them. I can't see color. Everything is black and white to me" Angel said.

"Ah. Well, the Taker symbol on your gloves and your vest is purple. The symbol on your belt is red. And your cloak is black" Owen said.

"That must be weird. Not being able to see color" Lea said.

"Hey, I'll take being able to see in black and white over not being able to see at all. That brief time when I was completely blind was the worst" Angel said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. When it opened, Roman and Dean stood there. They both stepped inside and Dean closed the door behind them. Roman was about to speak when he noticed what Angel was wearing. She pulled off the cloak so he could see her whole ring attire. He grinned. It was a mixture of the Shield, what he wore, and her Dead Girl attire.

"We've got a problem" Dean said.

"Great. Because we need more of those" Kristy said.

"Seth saw Angel leave our locker room. He's starting to get suspicious. Even though I told him Angel and Roman were just friends and Angel needed someone to talk to. I don't think he believed me. We need to be more careful, Kristy" Dean said.

"Oh, great" Kristy said.

"Sorry, guys. You don't need any more issues with Rollins then you have" Angel whispered.

"Don't worry about it. You needed me. I was there" Roman said, walking over and hugging her.

"Thanks" Angel said, resting her head on his chest.

Everyone looked at each other with a grin. Even Liam was alright with Roman being with his niece now. He knew now that if her father wasn't able to be there to keep Angel safe, Roman would be. Roman smiled down at her and looked her up and down.

"New ring attire I see. You look beautiful, babe" he said.

"Thanks. Unfortunately, being beautiful is not going to save my butt tonight" Angel said.

"No, it won't. But that vest might. It's padded so it'll protect you. I kinda gave Sandra a hand" Roman said.

"You did? Why?" Angel asked.

"I know you've had problems with your back and your ribs at various points. So…I went and got the vest and gave it to her and told her to alter it to fit your character. She did a good job of it by the looks of things" Roman said.

"You...did that for me?" Angel asked him.

"Well, it was Dean's idea. After Hunter said we couldn't do a run in, we tried to come up with another way to help. Dean suggested the padded vest and I went out and got it and gave it to Sandra to alter" Roman said.

"Thanks, you two. You didn't have to…" Angel started.

"Save it, kiddo" Dean said.

"Kiddo? Really? I'm not that much younger than you, you know" Angel said with a laugh.

"At least we won't have to worry as much either. You've got some safety stuff on you" Lea said.

"And maybe it'll help your back and ribs not hurt so much afterward" Wyatt said.

"Who said my back and ribs hurt after matches?" Angel asked.

"We're not dumb, Angel Baby. You broke your back once. It never really heals you know. And you've injured your ribs quite a bit too" Liam said.

"OK. OK. You guys got me. Although, all the padding in the world isn't gonna save me from Lesnar's Suplexes" Angel said.

"Speaking of that, how are you supposed to protect your head? What if you land wrong? Or what if Lesnar hits you? What if you get hurt again and…?" Lea said, bursting into tears.

Angel sighed. She knelt down and hugged her little sister. Lea was still sobbing and talking about how everyone would feel if Angel got hurt all over again. Angel didn't know what to do or how to respond this time around. Everyone was staring at her.

"Lea…honey…" Angel said.

"What…are we gonna do if…?" Lea asked.

"Don't worry, Lea. I'm going to be fine. I won't let myself get hurt. I promise" Angel said.

Lea nodded, but even so, she flung her arms around Angel's neck and just hugged her. She was really upset apparently. Angel kept telling her that she would be alright as long as she was careful and reminded her that she was faster and smarter than Lesnar and it was going to be hard for him to even get his hands on her. After a few minutes, Lea relaxed a little, but she didn't let go of Angel.

"At least you know you're loved, baby girl" Taker said.

"As if there was any doubt about that" Bret said.

"Really" Angel said.

"Everyone loves you, Aunt Angel. We all love you in our own way" Wyatt said.

"I know, Little man. And you all don't need to worry. I'm going to be just fine. I can out speed and out wit Lesnar on my worst day. He's got rocks for brains" Angel said.

"If it wasn't for Heyman, he wouldn't know what he was doing half the time" Kristy said.

"Will you really be alright, Angel?" Lea asked, staring up at her sister, still teary eyed.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. Try not to worry and be brave for me" Angel said.

Lea nodded and wiped her tears away. She grinned up at her big sister. Angel beamed. After that, everyone sat in the locker room waiting for the show to start. They were all tense as they waited for Angel's first match. When it was finally time, Angel, Kane, and Taker stood up. Angel took off her jewelry and handed it to Kristy. Then she hugged Lea again and the three of them left the locker room and walked to the Gorilla Position to wait. Taker and Kane went out first. Angel took a deep breath and waited for her music to play.

Angel sighed as her theme music hit. _Just remember, it's just a training session. It's just a training session_. She told herself as she headed out to the ring. As she watched her Father and Uncle standing there waiting for her, she couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated. She shook it off. She had to focus on getting through this.

Angel walked to the ring and went up the steps. She brought the lights back up and stepped through the ropes. Never before had she been scared of being in a WWE ring, but this was different. Angel removed her overcoat and waited. Kane decided to start the match, so Taker stepped outside the ropes. The referee called for the bell and Angel got a huge shock. Kane laid down in the middle of the ring. Angel glanced over at her father, who shrugged. Angel walked over to her Uncle and to everyone's shock she began kicking him. She reached down to pick him up off the mat.

"Uncle, it's not happening this way. You and Daddy aren't humiliating yourselves on my account" she told him.

"Well, if that's how you feel, Little Angel, then you're going to have to earn this one" Kane said.

"Wouldn't have it any other way" Angel said with a grin.

Kane grinned back. Angel struck first, kicking him in the knees a few times. Then she started punching him. When neither of those seemed to phase her Uncle, Angel tried one last thing. She climbed up to the top rope and executed a perfect drop kick. It knocked Kane flat on his back. Angel went for a cover, but only got a one count. She sighed. This was not going to be the easiest training she ever had and she knew it now. Kane stood up and grabbed Angel's arm.

"Come on, Little Angel. We both know that you've got more then that in you" Kane said.

Angel smirked. Kane Irish whipped her and went for the big boot. Angel ducked it and bounced off the rope, clotheslining Kane and knocking him over. It was time to stop messing around. Kane stood up. He could see that Angel was getting serious and was determined. He looked over at his brother. Taker was reluctant at first, but he reached out his hand and Kane tagged him in. Taker stepped into the ring. It was then that Angel heard the crowd for the first time since the match had started. Chants of "Let's go Dead Girl" were mixed with chants of "Undertaker".

The two of them looked at each other. Then they locked up. Taker won the fight and hip tossed Angel onto her back. Angel stood up. From there, the two of them had a surprisingly good exchange of punches, kicks and counters. However, after awhile, Taker could see that Angel was getting tired. He was wearing her out and that wasn't a good thing, given what she had in store later. He grabbed her arm to Irish whip her into the rope and whispered in her ear.

"Take it home, baby girl. You're getting tired and I want you to have a fighting chance against Lesnar later" he said.

"Got it" Angel said.

Taker Irish whipped her and went for a clothesline. Angel ducked it and hit back with a clothesline of her own. Then she climbed the top rope and waited for her father to get up. When he did, she jumped, but rather then using a drop kick, she hit him right on the button with a Superman Punch. Angel went for the cover and earned a three count. It was over. Angel had won.

"Well, if there was ever anyone—man or woman—who could pull out a convincing win against the Brothers of Destruction, it'd be the Dead Girl" Cole said.

In the ring, Angel helped Taker to his feet and he and Kane left the ring. Angel was about to follow when suddenly, she heard Triple H's King of Kings music playing. She looked around and saw him on the giant screen in the arena. He didn't look pleased that Angel not only taken her punishment in stride, but had come out on top in the end.

"Good job, Dead Girl. You triumphed over the Brothers of Destruction. Don't be in such a hurry to leave though, because your match with Brock Lesnar is happening right now. I figured why save it for later when the fans are so hyped about it?" Hunter said.

The fans went quiet. Angel pulled herself to her feet. The fans began to boo as Brock Lesnar's music played throughout the arena. No one wanted to see the Dead Girl get hurt by the Beast. Brock walked to the ring with purpose, smirking at Taker and Kane as they walked by led by security officials. Taker glared at Lesnar. He said nothing, but his look spoke volumes. He was telling Lesnar that if he seriously injured Angel in any way, he would pay for it with his soul. Lesnar's smirk disappeared and he nodded, knowing that Taker was a hundred percent serious.

Brock continued walking to the ring. Angel just stared at him. He was at least a foot taller and about a hundred pounds heavier. She was scared as she stared at him. Angel sighed and closed her eyes, channelling her powers. There was nothing for it. She rushed Lesnar and threw everything she had at him. Nothing worked. All Angel did was wear herself out. Lesnar laughed and grabbed her and threw her over his head like a sack of potatoes.

Angel was dazed as she pulled herself back to her feet. Lesnar reached over and grabbed Angel from behind. He Suplexed her three times in a row before finally letting her go. Angel tried to pull herself to her feet, but she found it difficult. It was only a few minutes in and she was already sweating and her body felt as though a fleet of buses had run head long into her. Cole, Saxton, and JBL were cringing as they watched.

"This is starting to get uncomfortable to watch" Byron said.

"This is awful. The Dead Girl's career may have just been shortened" JBL said.

"Brock has all but destroyed the Dead Girl. The rest of this is academic at this point" Cole said.

Lesnar picked Angel up and lifted her onto his shoulders. The fans were booing. Backstage, Taker and Kane were pacing, debating what they should do. When they saw Lesnar with Angel on his shoulders, that was enough. Taker walked toward the Gorilla position. Kane put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Big brother…" Kane started.

"Don't bother, little brother. I've had enough. My damn career doesn't matter when compared to Angel's health and safety! I don't give a damn about it! I'm stopping this stupid circus that Hunter has created!" Taker snapped.

"OK, Big Brother. I'm with you. You're right. Angel is more important then our careers. She's my niece. I care about her. Let's go" Kane said.

Taker nodded. He glared at the music technician who was sitting there. He nodded. At the same moment, the lights in the arena went out. Taker waited for the gong, but it never came. Instead, a heartbeat began to sound and smoke filled the entire arena. Angel lifted her head to look around and saw that Brock looked confused by what was going on. Through the smoke slithered a demon. Angel recognized him immediately. It was Finn Balor, the NXT Champion and one of the many friends Angel and Kristy had made during their time in NXT.

"That's Finn Balor! He's the NXT Champion! What is he doing here?" JBL asked.

"I think he's seen enough of this" Cole said.

"He has no business here!" JBL said.

"Well, when the Dead Girl and Kristy were down at NXT, they seemed to get along with everyone and they made a lot of friends. Finn was among them and I think he's seen enough of his friend being brutalized at the hands of Brock Lesnar" Byron said.

Finn made his way to the ring. Angel took advantage of the distraction and slid from Lesnar's shoulders, landing on the ground in a heap. She looked up in time to see Balor hitting Lesnar in the gut with a steel chair he had grabbed from ring side. Then she watched as Balor beat Lesnar in the back with the chair over and over again. Lesnar rolled onto his back to try to get away only to be met with the chair to the chest. Angel dragged herself to her feet and stumbled into Balor.

"Hey, Dead Girl. Hold this on his chest would you?" he asked.

"O-OK" Angel whispered.

Angel did what she was told and watched as Balor climbed up to the top rope and did the Coup De Grace into the chair and Lesnar's chest. Angel just looked from Lesnar to Balor and back again. She wasn't sure what to do. She just kept staring in total shock.

"Cover him, Dead Girl. He won't stay down for long" Balor said.

"Right" Angel said.

She covered Lesnar and the referee counted to three. Angel had done it. She had won the match not only against the Brothers of Destruction, but Brock Lesnar as well. She staggered to her feet. Both Finn and the referee raised Angel's hands. She grinned in spite of the fact that she felt exhausted. Just then, Triple H's music hit for the second time. This time, he came out onto the ramp, mic in hand looking completely livid. Finn asked for microphone and handed one to Angel.

"Dead Girl…you…defiant little…you planned this, didn't you?!" Hunter said.

"No, Hunter, I didn't plan this. I had no idea that Finn Balor was going to show up here. If I had known, I would have told him to stay out of it" Angel said.

"I believe I said that no one with a WWE contract would not be permitted to interfere in this match. Therefore, Finn Balor, as much as I hate to say this…" Hunter said.

"Not so fast there, Triple H. You've said it yourself in the past, NXT is separate from WWE. Therefore, NXT contracts are not WWE contracts. So you can't fire me" Balor said.

Hunter started to say something, but stopped. Finn was right and he couldn't argue it. He had said it himself that NXT was a separate brand from Raw and SmackDown. Angel grinned in spite of herself.

"It looks like Hunter has nothing to say to that. Guess he can't argue with logic" Angel said, tiredly.

"Don't be so quick to be smug, Dead Girl. You've got another match to go through here tonight" Hunter said.

"WHAT?!" Angel shouted.

"Let me introduce you to the former NXT Women's Champion. The daughter of one of my best friends, the Nature Boy, Ric Flair. Charlotte!" Hunter said.

Angel sighed. Charlotte's attitude had done a complete 180 since she had won the NXT Women's Championship. She had become completely egotistical and thought she was genetically superior because her father was Ric Flair. They had gotten along when Angel and Kristy had been down there when they had first come back, but times had changed.

"Finn, get out of the ring" Hunter snapped.

"No problem. I'm sure Angel can handle Charlotte on her own" Finn said.

He dropped his microphone and left. Angel threw hers aside and raised her fists as Charlotte came to the ring. There was no way she was going to get caught of guard with this. Charlotte slid into the ring. As soon as the bell rang, Angel rushed Charlotte in an effort to get the upper hand, but Charlotte met her with a big boot. Then she pinned her for the three count.

"Aunt Angel is angry. She doesn't usually rush people like that" Wyatt said.

"She knows better than that. She ran right into that. That was bad" Lea said.

"She wasn't thinking straight. She was angry" Bret said.

"She's not the only one who is angry and not thinking straight" Kristy said.

She stood up. Roman followed and so did Dean. The three of them ran to the ring. By this point, Charlotte had started attacking Angel. Kristy reached over and grabbed her by the hair. Then she picked up Charlotte and executed a running power slam. Roman walked over to Angel and knelt down. Angel was awake, even though she seemed to be dazed and confused. Angel pushed herself to her feet and climbed from the ring with Roman following her. As soon as Angel's feet hit the floor, she collapsed to her knees. She was exhausted. Roman and Dean helped her to her feet and put their arms around her shoulders. The three of them walked back to the back with Kristy following behind them.

They ran into Taker and Kane at the Gorilla Position. The two brothers were livid. Roman and Dean handed Angel over to them and Taker picked her up. Angel rested her head on her Dad's shoulder.

"She's exhausted" Kristy said.

"At least she doesn't look hurt" Dean said.

"I'm OK. I just need a good sleep at the moment. I'll get checked out tomorrow" Angel said.

"Hunter is going to pay for this. I don't know how. I don't know when, but he'll pay for this" Roman said.

Taker nodded. As much as he'd like to get his hands on Triple H, he thought it best to leave it to Roman. He had dealt with Hunter enough. It was bad enough that Taker had to listen to Hunter and do what he was told. He looked at Roman and then looked down at Angel who was now fast asleep.

"Reigns, I'm holding you to that. I'd do it, but I've dealt with Hunter enough. It's bad enough I've got to listen to him and do what he tells me, so you make him pay" Taker said.

"All else fails, do what he does" Kane said.

"You mean wait for the right moment. Like when he's least expecting it?" Roman said.

"Bingo. Just bide your time. Put it out of your mind for now. And when the right moment comes, get your revenge. Do what Hunter does" Dean said.

"I'll try, but right now, I wanna strangle his ass for this. He had no right to put Angel through any of this. He only did it because Jen is his god daughter and he wants to pretend he gives a damn about her. We all know that Hunter only cares about three things: the WWE Title, money, and himself" Roman said.

"Not going to argue that one" Kristy said.

"Alright, guys. Enough talking. Kristy do me a favor. Go and get Lea and Angel's things from the locker room, OK? I need to take her back to the hotel. She needs rest" Taker said.

"No problem, Uncle Taker" Kristy said.

She left and headed back to the locker room with Dean. Everyone looked up worriedly as the two of them walked in. They waited for Kristy to speak, but she said nothing. She just picked up Angel's bag and told Lea that it was time to go. Lea didn't protest, she just nodded, looking worried.

"Wait, Kristy, how is Angel?" Liam asked.

"Sore. Tired. But otherwise fine…we think. She said she wanted to rest and she would get checked out tomorrow. Taker is taking her back to the hotel so she can rest" Dean answered.

Everyone nodded. He and Kristy left and went back to the car. Taker had already loaded Angel in. Kristy tossed the bags into the trunk. She gave Lea a hug. Lea grinned and wished Kristy good luck in her Diva's Title Match against AJ Lee. Taker looked at her as she nodded.

"Hey, I know you wanted Angel to be here in case you won, but after what just happened…" Taker started.

"She's in no condition to be here for when I win that title" Kristy whispered.

"No, she's not. You understand though, right?" Taker said.

"Of course I do! Get her back to the hotel and let her rest! I'll win this one for her!" Kristy said.

"OK. And you don't need this, kiddo, but good luck" Taker said.

Kristy beamed and hugged Taker. Then she watched as the car pulled away. She was worried about her friend, but she had a match to worry about and a Diva's Title to win.

Back at the hotel, Taker had gotten Angel to wake up long enough to change and had put her back to bed again. Lea was sitting next to her sister, watching her sleep and looking worried about her. Taker came and sat down next to her. Lea climbed up on his lap and hugged him.

"Hey, it's alright, Lea. Angel will be fine" Taker said.

"That was hard to watch Daddy. I know I told Angel that I wouldn't go near the ring anymore when the shows were happening, but I almost did. I wanted to. I wanted Lesnar to stop hurting her. And then Charlotte came out. Angel wasn't thinking straight, was she? I mean, Angel doesn't rush at people like that" Lea said.

"I know it was hard to watch, Lea. Your Uncle and I almost went out there. Angel's safety takes priority over our careers" Taker said.

"Would you do that for me, too?" Lea asked.

"Of course. And I'd do it for Kristy and Wyatt too" Taker said.

Lea nodded and hugged him. Then they just sat there for a bit. Pretty soon, they heard a commotion outside the bedroom. Taker sighed. Lea looked agitated. Lea told Taker that she would stay here while he went to see what was going on. Taker nodded. He walked out into the living room.

"You guys, you'll…" Taker started.

He stopped. Kristy stood there, holding the WWE Diva's Title. Taker grinned from ear to ear. Now he understood why they were being loud. They were celebrating. He walked over and gave Kristy a hug. He knew she didn't need his good luck wish. Dean, Roman, Bret, and Owen were grinning and Wyatt looked happier than Taker had seen in awhile.

"I know Mom had to give up the title when she got pregnant with me. And she's had it once since then, but now she's got it back again! This is the best!" Wyatt said.

"It was so great. Kristy dedicated the match to Angel and as soon as she did that, Hunter came out and announced No DQ, which means he's probably still mad at Angel. But Kristy pulled it off" Owen said.

"Hunter did _what_?!" Taker said.

"It was No DQ. I didn't have anyone to help me out, but I pulled it off and Hunter's plan backfired. He did that specifically because I dedicated the match to Angel. He didn't want me to win. Stephanie isn't happy either. I heard her blasting him with both barrels as we were leaving. Something about screwing up the Diva's Division and that Angel and I are two of the most talented Divas and he was so blind by petty jealousy and his stupid ego that he couldn't see it" Kristy said.

"She has a point. Although as far as talent goes, Kristy's got more than me. By a long shot" Angel said from the doorway.

"Ang! You're supposed to be resting" Kristy said.

"You guys kinda woke me up" Angel said.

"Sorry about that" Kristy said, blushing.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Looks like congratulations are in order. Just…do me a favor? Hang onto that thing would you? You've worked your butt off and I don't want you to lose it quickly again" Angel said.

Kristy nodded. She had no intention of losing the title any time soon. It had been a long night for Angel and an emotional night for Kristy and everyone was glad it was over.

* * *

 **That's it for this one. I kinda screwed with time for this one. The idea of having Charlotte feud with Angel has been in my head for awhile. Besides, the fact that Charlotte has the whole "genetically superior" thing and Angel is humble should make for an interesting feud if i do it right. Alright, hit that review button for me! Anyway, bye for now!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	29. One Door Closes Another Opens

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. I finished this chapter. Phew. I got some help from my friend Diana(Dean's Country Girl on here I think). I hope you all like the chapter. Btw the title of this chapter sounds like it's got a deep meaning behind it, but it doesn't. It just popped into my head.**

 **Thanks to: Diana(DeanGirl), Wolfgirl2013, Cena's baby doll, and tomwilliams1990 for their reviews. Thanks so much guys. Glad you're all sticking with me through my long ass hiatuses that are sometimes planned and sometimes not.**

 **See you all down at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 29: One Door Closes. Another Opens**

Angel sighed as she walked into the locker room with her family. Everyone was still there for now, but after tonight, Angel's Grandfather Dean and Uncle Liam were going home now that Lesnar had faced Angel and they knew that she would be alright now. Angel slipped into the washroom to change. She was going to be wearing the same attire she wore last night. She had to admit that Roman and Dean had done a good job with her ring attire. Although she felt as though her body had been run over by an eighteen wheeler, she had been checked out by the trainer, Dr. Sampson, and a hospital and she had no broken bones or head trauma.

She also realized that the ring attire that Dean and Roman had gotten for her had worked as intended and her back and ribs were not as nearly as sore as they would have been had she been wearing her standard ring attire. Everyone was elated that Kristy had also managed to win the Diva's Title from AJ Lee as well. It had been quite a long time since they had seen her that happy. Angel was especially glad to see her best friend back at the top of the food chain again, but she knew that Hunter was not going to make it easy for her. The idea of a Hart being the Diva's Champion didn't appeal to him and Angel knew it. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" Angel asked.

"Your phone is ringing. It's Xander" Kristy's voice said.

"OK. Answer it for me and tell him that I'll call him back" Angel said.

"Right" Kristy said.

A few minutes later, Angel finished changing. she walked out of the bathroom and Kristy applied her eyeliner. Then she picked up her cell phone and stepped outside. She dialled Xander's number and waited. A few minutes later, he picked up.

 _"Hey, Dead Girl. What can I do for you?" he asked._

"First of all, thanks for last night. Finn Balor saved my sorry butt. Hope Hunter didn't give you trouble" Angel said.

 _"He gave me an earful, but that's besides the point. You're welcome. I didn't want to see you get killed by that Neanderthal" Xander said._

"Thanks. Now do you want to explain what the hell Charlotte Flair is doing here? And why the hell did she do what she did?" Angel asked as calmly as she could.

 _"About that...the Nature Boy pulled a favor with the nose. But I didn't know that Hunter was going to sick her on you like that. Sorry" Xander said._

"It's fine. I just wanted to know what the hell had happened. I'll just put her in her place like every other Diva I've come up against" Angel said.

 _"I know you will. Just be careful, alright? Charlotte is not a push over" Xander said._

"I know. I had matches with her in NXT. She's good. Even if her attitude isn't. Anyway, thanks again, Xander. If you need me down there at all, just give me a ring. I'd be happy to come. Talk to you later" Angel said.

 _"I'll keep that in mind, Dead Girl. Bye"_

Angel hung up and went back into the locker room. She shouldn't have been surprised that Ric Flair had pulled a favor to get his daughter of the main roster. Not that she needed it. She was talented enough that she could have made it up there on her own.

"So? What's the story?" Kristy asked.

"Her Daddy pulled a favor. That's how she got here. But Xander didn't know that Big Nose was going to sick her on me like that" Angel said.

"Great." Kristy said.

"She's just like everyone else that comes along. Trying to make a name for herself. That I can respect. Her attitude change is what I have the problem with. I cannot stand people who think they're better than everyone else and above everyone else. It bothers me" Angel said.

"It's because of what you've been through. You've never been handed anything. You've always had to claw and fight to get what you want. And even what you need at times" Kristy said.

"Not to mention that even though you're the daughter of one of the best wrestlers of all time, you have never used that to get anywhere here and you've never thought that it makes you better than everyone else" Bret said.

Angel nodded. She was a second generation Diva, but had never ever used it to her advantage before. The only time she even considered using it was when she was in some sort of major trouble. For her, fighting to get what she wanted and needed was normal. It had become habit and she wasn't about to stop doing it now. Now she was curious to see what would happen between her and Charlotte. She knew that Flair's daughter wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut about winning the night before.

Sure enough, as soon as the show started, Charlotte's music hit. She walked to the ring with Ric Flair in tow. Angel sighed and stood up. She headed to the Gorilla Position to wait. She knew she would be going out there and there was no point in hanging out in the locker room and waiting. Angel watched the monitor as Charlotte made her entrance. Then she asked for a microphone.

"First of all, it's an honour to be out here on Monday Night Raw. Now last night, I made my main roster debut. And I did it by beating the Dead Girl. I beat the Dead Girl in less than thirty seconds of when I got here. I've seen her wrestle before. I've wrestled her down in NXT. She's intense, focused, intimidating. She's just like me. She was born for this business. And yet, I beat her in less than thirty seconds. She's not as intimidating, focused and intense as she would like you to think. In fact, she doesn't…." Charlotte started.

Angel had heard enough. She knew that the end of the sentence was "belong here" and she was so sick of hearing that given that every Diva she had come up against since she had started there and it was getting old. She walked to the ring looking intense and angry. She brought the lights back up and stepped through the ropes. Then she asked for a microphone.

"Charlotte" Angel said.

"Angel" was the answer.

"I was standing in the back listening just now. You were talking about how you beat me in less than thirty seconds. That's true. You did. You beat me in less than thirty seconds… _after_ the Brothers of Destruction had a match with me. You beat me in less than thirty seconds… _after_ The Beast Brock Lesnar threw me around the ring like a bouncy ball. You beat me in less than thirty seconds… _after_ I went through two gruelling matches! Therefore, you need to be sending some thanks. You need to thank Undertaker, Kane, and Brock Lesnar. And you need to say thanks to your Daddy and to Triple H too because if it wasn't for them, you'd still be sitting down in NXT" Angel snapped at her.

"I don't need to be thanking anyone. The bottom line is, I beat you. I beat you in less than thirty seconds and I proved that you don't…" Charlotte started.

"I don't belong here. Right? Is that what you were going to say? That I don't belong in WWE?" Angel snapped.

"That's exactly what I was going to say. You shouldn't be here. You're no good. You're nothing compared to me" Charlotte said.

"Give me a break. I've been told this before. I don't belong here because I don't know a thing about wrestling. I don't belong here because I'm blind. I don't belong here because I'm no good. I don't belong here. If I had a dime for every time I've heard that since I started here I'd be able to walk into Vince's office and buy the company out from under him! Haven't you been paying attention? I've scratched, clawed, fought, and battled to get where I am and I've more than proved that I belong in this ring" Angel snapped.

"You don't belong in the ring. You definitely don't belong in the ring with me. Face it, you're a peasant. I'm the Queen" Charlotte said.

"The queen, huh? I think there's someone in the back who would completely disagree with that" Angel said.

As if on cue, Kristy's music hit. She walked to the ring to a standing ovation. Charlotte plugged her ears. Angel couldn't help but laugh even though she was shocked by Charlotte's change in attitude. _Apparently, I was wrong. Her personality didn't do a one eighty flip. It did a three sixty. She's the exact opposite of what she was when we met._ Angel thought as she watched Kristy pose with the title on all four of the turnbuckles. Then she asked for a microphone and didn't hesitate to get in her face.

"If you're the Queen, then why do I have the crown, Charlotte?" Kristy asked.

"Charlotte, as far as I'm concerned, being the Queen here in WWE means that you have that right there. Therefore, you're not any more of a Queen than me. The Queen is standing right here" Angel said, placing her hand on her best friend's shoulder.

"Ang…" Kristy said, blushing.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. You're the Diva's Champion. You're on top right now" Angel said with a grin.

"I hate to interrupt this little feel good moment you two have going on right now, but can we get back to the point here. The point was that last night, I debuted last night and I took you down, Dead Girl. Regardless of what happened prior, I beat you in less than thirty seconds. Are you going to standing there talking all day or are you going to be the Undertaker's daughter and do something about it?" Charlotte asked.

"I'm going to answer your question of my own, but not to you. I want to ask your father something. Ric, did you raise your daughter to be this arrogant or did she learn it from you?" Angel asked.

"At least I know that my father raised me. What about you?" Charlotte asked.

"Shut your face, Flair. At least Undertaker raised his daughter to be humble and not a two faced, lying, no good bitch. Not only that, but at least Angel and I got in here on talent. You're here because Daddy got in debt again and needed Vince to get him out" Kristy said.

"First of all, I'm here because I was born to be here. Second of all, Undertaker didn't raise Angel at all. He wasn't there when she was growing up and neither was her mother" Charlotte said with a smirk.

"Charlotte, I suggest you shut your mouth and stop talking. Because if you don't, I will send you on a very bumpy one-way trip to hell. I don't care if my body feels like it was hit by a damn Mac truck" Angel snapped, anger flaring in her eyes.

"And don't make me have to teach you why the Harts are the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be" Kristy said with a smile.

"Did I strike a nerve?" Charlotte asked.

"No, you didn't touch a nerve. You crossed a line. Now, stop talking about my parents. Stop talking about things you don't understand. Stop talking about things that are frankly none of your business" Angel snapped.

"In other words, shut the hell up, bitch" Kristy snapped.

"You're not the Queen. You're nothing but a two faced, lying, arrogant, conceited no good waste of talent and space. And when I'm one hundred percent you will Rest in Peace" Angel said.

With that, she dropped her microphone and left the ring. Kristy was glaring a hole through Charlotte's head. Charlotte was smirking. Then she started to speak again.

"Be warned, Princess, when I'm done with your little friend, I'm coming for that" Charlotte said, nodding at the Diva's Title.

"Get past the Dead Girl and you've got your shot. But only after that" Kristy snapped.

She dropped her microphone and turned and left the ring and walked up to the top of the ramp where Angel was still standing. She waited. Angel raised her fist into the air and four lightning bolts came down and struck the corners of the ring. Then she turned and pointed to Charlotte and did the Rest in Peace sign. Then the two of them walked to the back. Angel was emotional and Kristy knew it.

"Ang…say something…" she said.

"I hate that woman" Angel said.

"I've gathered that. Are you OK?" Kristy said.

"Not really. But I will be after I kick her ass" Angel said.

"Ang..." Kristy started.

"What, Kristy?" Angel asked.

"You're upset. I can see it in your eyes. You're not going to be satisfied by kicking her ass. Talk to me" Kristy said.

"She had no right to bring up my past. She knows nothing about it!" Angel snapped.

"I know, Ang" Kristy said.

"It's...not their fault that they couldn't be there…" Angel whispered.

"No, it's not. And that two timing cheater can't win without Daddy. You should know that" Kristy said.

"I know. How am I going to make sure her Daddy doesn't do anything?" Angel asked.

"Why not take Uncle Taker to ringside?" Kristy asked.

"I don't know…" Angel said.

"Or take Uncle Bret" Kristy said.

"I don't know" Angel said.

"Ang, I know you don't like depending on other people, but this time you need to. Her Dad will be there and he will try to help her win. Someone has to go with you. Unless you want Charlotte walking around here like she owns the place because she beat you at a hundred percent" Kristy said.

"What about Ro?" Angel asked.

"He'd do anything for you. You know that" Kristy said.

Angel nodded. She knew that Roman loved her. He'd proven it over the last little while too. Kristy watched Angel and when she seemed relaxed again, they headed back to the locker room. As soon as they walked in, Taker stood up. He walked over to Angel and hugged her.

"Daddy, I'm OK. Really" Angel told him.

"She is now that Roman is going there with her" Kristy said.

"Does he know this?" Bret asked.

"Not yet" Kristy told him.

"I don't think that's what my Daddy is worried about, Kristy. I think he's worried about me because of what Charlotte said…" Angel said.

"Yeah, I know" Kristy said.

"It's my fault anyway. I shouldn't have addressed her Dad. Then that never would have come up" Angel said.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. I mean, Papa Taker is here for Aunt Angel now. So what does it matter if he wasn't there the whole time?" Wyatt asked.

"People like to use that against your aunt Angel, Wyatt" Kristy said.

"Because they always think it'll take my focus off the task at hand when all it does is make me angry. Living without Daddy and Mom, feeling like I didn't fit in, and being abused was bad enough without being reminded of it" Angel said.

"Charlotte Flair needs to shut her damn mouth about what she doesn't understand. And she needs to keep her nose out of things that aren't her business" Bret snapped.

"I could have told you that" Kristy mumbled.

"Kristy, don't do that. He's right. I told her that, but she's too much of an airhead that it isn't going to sink in I don't think" Angel said.

"But how come Daddy is so upset?" Lea asked.

"Because every time someone brings up the fact that he wasn't there for me, it hurts him" Angel said.

"How come?" Wyatt asked.

"Because if I had known about Angel, I could have gotten her" Taker said.

"I know that, Daddy. Everyone here knows that. It's not your fault. Please, don't blame yourself. If you're going to blame anyone, blame Kristal" Angel said.

"Kristal? Isn't she Nana Beth's Mom?" Wyatt asked.

"Mom isn't the right word" Angel said.

"Evil witch would be a more apt description" Kristy said.

"OK. OK. But didn't you explain to me when I was little that Angel wasn't with Papa Taker because Kristal scared Nana Beth and she was afraid of what would happen if Papa Taker came home and saw Angel there? That she was afraid that if Papa Taker found out about Angel that she'd have to go back to Kristal again?" Wyatt asked.

"Wyatt…how do you remember all that?" Angel asked.

"I don't know. I just remember that you told me that once" Wyatt asked.

"Well, you're exactly right, Little Man, but even though Papa Taker knows all that, it doesn't make him feel any better. He blames himself for not being there for me when I needed him most. Even though I don't blame him for it. I put the blame on Kristal" Angel said.

"Don't we all" Kristy and Bret mumbled in stereo.

"Well, that's where the blame should go! Daddy didn't do anything wrong! Mom didn't do anything wrong either. She thought she was doing what was best for Angel! She had no idea that Angel would end up where she did! Kristal was the one that did wrong!" Lea said.

"We know, Lea. And she paid for it. And she's right where she should be. Rotting in hell along with Jason" Angel said.

"Anyway, the point is, don't listen to Charlotte, Uncle Taker. You're here for Ang now and that's what really matters" Kristy said.

"Kristy is right" Angel said.

Taker sighed, but nodded anyway. He had been there for Angel twenty-four hours a day seven days a week for the last five or six years. He was trying to make up for the sixteen years that he missed. Even so, every time someone reminded him that he hadn't be there for Angel, it hurt.

"Don't worry, Daddy. I'll make her pay for this. I'll make her realize that in WWE, the things you say have consequences" Angel said.

"I know you will, baby girl" Taker said, hugging her again.

"Then I can finish her off. Let's just say I have a bone to pick with that blonde bitch" Kristy said.

"Language, Kristy" Owen said.

"Sorry" Kristy said.

"Why would you have a bone to pick with her Kristy? Because she's going after your title? Your Champion. It puts a target on your back automatically. You shouldn't be surprised you know" Bret reminded her.

"Other reasons" Kristy said.

"Does it have anything to do with the Hart/Flair history?" Angel asked.

"Maybe" Kristy said.

"Kristy, seriously, what are your reasons? We already know there's more to this than the title, so what's up?" Angel asked.

"Don't ask" Kristy said.

"I just did. So what's the deal?" Angel asked.

"Come on, Mom. What's got you so mad about Charlotte? There's something going on" Wyatt pointed out.

"Maybe I have my own reasons" Kristy said.

"We're not going to get anything out of her, guys. She's got her reasons. Just let her be" Owen said.

"Either way, Charlotte will get hers. But…" Angel started.

"Guys! Look!" Lea shouted suddenly.

They all noticed that she had turned her attention to the monitor. They looked to see Seth Rollins beating Dean down with a chair while the members of the Authority—John Cena, Nikki Bella, Stephanie McMahon, Kane(who was there by force), and Randy Orton(who had rejoined them in order to protect his daughter Sara from them)—stood there watching him.

"What the hell?!" Kristy asked.

"Kristy, let's go" Angel said.

"And just where do you two think you're running off to? Out there? I don't think so" Taker said.

"Uncle Taker, Dean is getting hurt! Hello!" Kristy said.

"And Roman's already been hit with the chair. I saw it. He hit Roman first…" Lea said.

"Daddy, please let us go. Dean and Roman are getting hurt" Kristy said.

"No! It isn't safe" Taker said.

Kristy and Angel sighed. They didn't argue with him. It really wasn't safe with Rollins swinging chairs around. They watched in horror as Dean was Curb Stomped into the chair. Then they watched as the whole Authority climbed into the ring and Randy hit an RKO on Roman driving his face into the steel chair.

"Screw this! Safe or not, I'm going out there!" Angel said.

Kristy nodded and followed her best friend out of the locker room. They ran to the ring and slid under the bottom rope completely ignoring everyone that was there. Angel went to Roman and Kristy went to Dean. Seth looked from one to the other, putting two and two together quickly. He asked for a microphone.

"So Dean and Roman have been lying to me this whole time. I knew there was something going on" Seth said.

"So what if there is? They didn't tell you because it's none of your business, you no good lousy sell out!" Kristy snapped at him quite audibly.

"You're a jackass" Angel snapped.

"These two are your best friends! And you sold out! And for what?" Kristy snapped.

"Money, power. What else?" Rollins said.

"Why am I not surprised?" Angel said, rolling her eyes.

Then she stood up. She slapped Rollins across the face. Then she turned to leave the ring, but Triple H grabbed her arm and pulled her back, Now, Angel felt afraid. She knew she was in trouble even with Kristy there.

"I guess your little punishment from last night didn't work, Dead Girl. I'm going to have to come up with something else" he told her.

"Leave her alone, Hunter" Kristy snapped.

"Or what, Hart Princess? What are you going to do?" Hunter asked.

"Challenge you to a match" Kristy said.

"Oh, really?" Hunter said.

"If you don't leave the Dead Girl alone and quit punishing her for essentially losing her temper. She did nothing wrong. You knew that right from the beginning, but you went on a power trip" Kristy snapped.

"Kristy…" Angel said.

"No, Ang. I've had enough of this. These idiots are all on a power trip. I'm not going to let him do anything else to you" Kristy told her.

"Kristy, do you know what you're doing?" Angel said.

"Yes, I do. Don't worry" Kristy said.

"I'm worried about what Hunter will do. I'm not worried about you. You can handle yourself. I know you can" Angel said.

"Hunter is scared of two things. Uncle Bret and my Dad" Kristy said with a smile.

"And my Dad too" Angel whispered.

"Does all this have a point?" Rollins snapped.

"The point is that I will deal with you two. Angel has had enough of this. She doesn't deserve it" Kristy said.

With that, Angel and Kristy helped Dean and Roman from the ring. The two men were hurting. That was obvious. When they got back to the back, Angel burst into tears and hugged Roman. Kristy hugged Dean. She wasn't crying, but she looked upset.

"Hey, Angel. It's alright. Dean and I are both going to be alright. Just relax" Roman said.

"I'm so sorry, Dean" Kristy said softly.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong. Seth's the sell out loser. Not you" Dean said.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. Really I am" Kristy said.

"Hey, don't worry about it. We're both going to be alright. We'll get him for this" Dean said.

Kristy nodded. Then she turned to look at Roman who was hugging Angel. Kristy was startled by how emotional Angel was. Roman didn't know exactly what to do other then hugging her. Dean looked worried.

"Hey, Angel, we're OK. Really. We're going to be fine. And we'll get Seth. Just try and relax" Dean said.

"It brought back bad memories. She's trying to fight back flashbacks" Kristy explained.

"Oh. No wonder. Angel, it's OK. You're safe. I promise" Roman said.

"Come on. Let's get her back to the locker room. Taker will know how to help her" Kristy said.

Dean nodded. Roman scooped her up, bridal style. Angel buried her face in Roman's shoulder. She was shaking and crying and not listening to them. She couldn't fight the flashbacks anymore. Kristy saw this and urged Roman to move faster because Angel needed help and needed it now. Roman nodded and the three of them broke into a full on sprint. They burst through the locker room door. Taker reached out and took Angel from Roman. It wasn't long before she started to relax.

"Taker, what happened?" Roman asked.

"Seeing you getting hurt triggered memories is all. She tries to fight it as best as she can, but it doesn't work usually. It's not anything you did or didn't do, Roman. Don't worry" Taker said.

"Good" Roman said.

"Daddy…" Angel whispered.

"Hey, there, baby girl. It's alright. We're all here for you, alright?" Taker said.

"Even Roman?" Angel asked.

"Of course I'm here, baby. You didn't I'd leave you alone in that state, did you?" Roman asked.

Angel looked up. Sure enough, he was still standing there. His top was missing and she saw bruises forming on his arms already. Taker set her down. She walked over to Roman and looked him over. She walked around around him and looked over his back too. It was covered in bruises, scratches and red welts. Angel burst into tears and hugged him.

"Hey, don't cry. It's not your fault. It's Seth's fault" Roman said, hugging her back.

"I…know…but…" Angel started.

Roman shook his head. He hugged her and told her that it wasn't her fault. After a few minutes, Angel relaxed a lot. She was calm again. She walked behind Roman and placed her hand on his back. She focused and Roman felt as though someone had poured warm water down his back. When it stopped, he wasn't sore anymore. Then she did the same for Dean.

"Thanks, Angel. Wish you could help me with my anger though" Dean said.

"Save that for next week, mister" Kristy said.

"I plan on it. Let's get out of here" Dean said.

Everyone nodded. They left the arena. On the way out, they bumped into Triple H, Ric Flair and Charlotte in the midst of conversation. They went quiet. The second generation Diva wouldn't look at Angel now. Taker, meanwhile, was glaring at Triple H and Charlotte.

"You" he said, pointing at Triple H, "Angel has had her punishment. She took it. She's still here. Let this petty grudge go. Or else"

Hunter nodded, knowing that Taker was serious. It was time to let it be. What had happened was done and it was time to move on. Taker turned his attention to Charlotte, who looked like a dear caught in the headlights as the Deadman glared at her.

"Little girl, I have all the respect in the world for your father. He is a legend. But that does not give you the right to walk around the place as though you own it. You do not have the right to talk about something that you do not understand. You do not have the right to talk about something that is none of your business. Do not ever bring up Angel's past again otherwise you will not deal with her. You will deal with me. And it will not be fun" Taker warned her.

With that, they all left. It had been one long night and they were all glad it was over.

* * *

 **Alright, guys. That's it for now. I hope you all liked the chapter. Please leave a review. You guys are awesome! Thanks so much! Lots of love!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	30. Rivalries Continue

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hello, guys. I finally finished this chapter. Yay! Sorry it took so long, but life happened among other things.**

 **Thanks to: blackbear1020, Cena's baby doll, Dean's Country Angel, Wolfgirl2013, tomwilliams1990, and a guest review.**

 **Guest: Thanks for the review. Here's the update you wanted.**

 **Also, if you're gonna leave an annonymous review, make sure you put something other than guest. Please? Thanks.**

 **See you at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 30: Rivalries Continue**

It was the next week and despite what had happened the week before, everyone was all smiles. Angel's flashbacks had not lead to nightmares as it usually did and as for Charlotte, Angel had decided that everyone was right. She had no right to talk about Angel's past like she knew about it and even though Taker hadn't been there for her as a child, he was there now and that was what really mattered. Although, she was still looking forward to sending the second generation Diva on an extremely bumpy one-way trip to hell. She knew that she also had Kristy to back her up on this, although Kristy hadn't told anyone her reasons behind being so angry at Charlotte. After everyone got all settled in in the locker room, Angel pulled Kristy into the hallway and closed the door behind them. She figured that if Kristy didn't want anyone else to know, that was alright, but she at least wanted to know where her best friend was coming from on this.

"OK, girl, you need to fess up. What is your beef with Charlotte? Last week, all you said was that you had your reasons for it. If you don't want anyone else to know, that's fine, but don't leave me in the dark on this one. What's up?" Angel said.

"Remember how Charlotte said we only got here because of our family names?" Kristy said.

"Yeah, I do. In an odd way, it's the pot calling the kettle black. So…what's that got to do with anything?" Angel said.

"Well, it kind of stung me the wrong way" Kristy said.

"Why? Is it because we don't do that too or because Charlotte is talented enough that she doesn't need to?" Angel asked.

"Because she's talented and doesn't need to" Kristy said.

"I see your point there. Are you sure the Hart/Flair history doesn't play into it somehow? I mean, you know all about what her Dad said about Bret. That he was never a draw anywhere and could never sell out arenas and all that. Which, might I add is complete bull crap" Angel said.

"Some of that, but not all" Kristy answered.

"So? What else is going on in your head when it comes to Charlotte? Whatever it is you can tell me and I won't say anything" Angel told her.

"I don't know really. There's just something about her that rubs me the wrong way. Ever since she won the NXT Women's Title, her attitude has changed and not for the better. Therefore, I'm backing you up on this weather you like it or not" Kristy said.

"Not that I don't appreciate the help, Kristy. I'm glad you have my back in this…but what about the title? Shouldn't that be your top priority and not me?" Angel asked.

"Right now, I want to put that bitch in her place" Kristy said.

"OK. Believe me, you're not alone there. If the NXT Women's Title went to her head, I'd hate to see what happens if she gets this one" Angel said.

"I don't see that happening. Not as long as we're around. I told her if she beat you, she had a shot, remember?" Kristy said.

"Yeah. I remember" Angel said.

"Since I don't see her beating you, I don't have anything to worry about" Kristy said.

"I don't know about that. She _is_ good. It's this whole "I'm the Queen and you're all beneath me" thing that I don't like" Angel said.

"How about we knock the Queen off her throne?" Kristy said.

"Sounds like a plan" Angel answered.

The two of them made a pinkie swear. Then they walked back into the locker room. Angel went and changed first, knowing full well Charlotte was going to the ring again this week. Once Angel finished changing, Kristy went into the bathroom. Wyatt climbed up on the couch and sat beside her. Lea sat on her other side. Angel laughed. Just then, Dean and Roman walked in. both of them were still angry about what had happened last week, with Seth selling out and jumping on board with the Authority and Angel could tell they had stewed about it all week. Dean was just about to ask where Kristy was when she stepped from the washroom.

"Hey, you two. Still stewing I see" Kristy said.

"How could they not? Having someone you thought was your friend backstab you sucks. And I speak from personal experience" Angel reminded her.

"Yeah. True" Kristy said.

"What about you? Are you alright, kiddo?" Dean asked Angel, sounding concerned.

"Don't worry about me, you guys. I'm fine" Angel said.

"But after last week…" Roman started.

"I'm good" Angel said.

"Are you sure?" Dean asked.

"I'm fine, Dean. Really. I'm not going to deny what she said because in a way, sadly, it's true. Daddy wasn't there. And Mom wasn't there either. But I also know that it wasn't their choice. If they could have been there, they would have. Besides, Daddy's here now. And so is Mom, in her own way, at least. That's all that matters to me" Angel said.

"At least Angel was wanted. Me on the other hand" Kristy said.

Roman and Dean nodded, but didn't ask anything more about what Kristy meant. They all sat down and waited for the show to start. When it did, Charlotte came to the ring accompanied by her father. She didn't look happy, but she didn't look angry either. She walked up the steps and stepped through the ropes. Then she asked for a microphone. The fans booed. Charlotte spoke loud enough to make herself heard over them.

"So, it seems as though there are two peasants here who seem to think it's OK to disrespect your Queen. Dead Girl, Hart Princess, get out to this ring right now" Charlotte said.

Back in the locker room, Angel and Kristy looked at each other. Then they looked around. Everyone was staring at them with a look that clearly told them to go out there and put Charlotte in her place. They nodded and stood up. Kristy strapped on the Diva's Title. Angel gave Lea a hug and headed for the door without her overcoat. The two of them walked quickly to Gorilla Position where Vince gave them the go-ahead. Kristy went out first. She walked down the ramp and waited. A second later, Angel's music hit and she came out. When she got to the bottom of the ramp, Kristy slid into the ring. Angel walked up the steps and turned the lights back on. Then she stepped through the ropes. Both girls asked for microphones too.

"Took you long enough. Last week, you two were talking to me like I was some sort of peasant…some sort of commoner like you two are. From now on, you will address me as Her Majesty and you will bow down to me. After all, I have Royal blood running through my veins" Charlotte said.

"First of all, Charlotte, I will not be addressing you as Her Majesty and I will not bow down to you. I bow down to no one" Angel snapped.

"As for me, well, I bow to no one either, so she's not alone on that one and you can forget about that whole "addressing you as Her Majesty" thing because there is no way in hell I'm doing that. As for Royal Blood? It's more like cheater blood. At least my Dad doesn't come running to Vince to pay off his debt" Kristy said.

"Just because Daddy is a legend does not make you royalty, Charlotte" Angel said.

"Yeah, and that doesn't mean we bow to you either" Kristy said.

"You two are just jealous because I'm genetically superior. I'm wrestling royalty. And you two? Well, you're both nothing. Neither one of you belong in my kingdom. Get out" Charlotte said.

"Before this ring was your Kingdom, it was my yard. And right now, if anyone is a Queen, it's the one out of the three of us here that is holding the crown. As much as she doesn't want me to say that because unlike you, she has some humility and is smart enough to not let titles go to her head" Angel snapped, nodding at Kristy as she spoke.

"And before this ring was your Kingdom, it was my ring. My home. And this is my crown. My family alone has held more titles than your Daddy could ever wish to hold. And they did it with nothing but class and fair fighting" Kristy snapped.

"So it should be _us_ telling _you_ to leave, _not_ the other way around. That is, unless you're stupid enough to try and throw us out of here yourself" Angel snapped.

Charlotte didn't say anything to that. Instead, Ric took the microphone from his daughter and stepped closer to Angel. Angel didn't back off. Meanwhile, over Ric's shoulder, Angel could see Charlotte smirking.

"I have a lot of respect for your father as a wrestler, Dead Girl, but I think he needs some help when it comes to you. He needs to wash your mouth out with soap a few thousand times because you are one of the mouthiest children I have ever met" he said.

Angel reacted by slapping Ric in the face for what he had said about her father. She knew she was going to be fined for that most likely, but she didn't care at that moment. She would pay it if she had to. Out of the corner of her eye, Angel could see that Kristy looked livid.

"Don't you stand there and tell me what my Daddy needs to do and not do! And for your information, I'm almost twenty-four years old and I'm a big girl who can handle herself" Angel snapped, glaring at him.

Kristy wasn't looking at Ric anymore. She was looking at Charlotte. She got right in Charlotte's face and punched her in the face knocking her flat on her back.

"That was for insulting my family, my best friend and I" Kristy snapped.

"I will see you at Money in the Bank, Charlotte. If you're lucky, you'll get a shot at Kristy's title afterward, but it's far more likely that you will Rest…in…Peace" Angel said.

They left the ring. As soon as they got back to the Gorilla Position, Stephanie McMahon was waiting for them. She was alone too, which was a bit of a relief. She looked happy as well. Before Angel could ask, she spoke.

"Alright, Angel, I'm making this official right now. It'll be you against Charlotte at Over the Limit. I talked it over with Hunter and he thinks it's a great idea. Unfortunately, Kristy, Hunter also told me to tell you that whoever wins gets the title shot" she said to them

"Wait…whoever wins?" Kristy asked.

"Sorry. If Angel wins, she gets the shot at the Diva's Title. Kristy, I should warn you, get ready for anything. I'm happy that you're Champion, but Hunter isn't. He'll do whatever he can to get that belt off you" Stephanie said.

Kristy just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Angel said goodbye to Stephanie and took her friend back to the locker room as fast as she could. Everyone could see that Kristy looked upset.

"What happened, sweetheart?" Dean asked.

"Stephanie just told me whoever wins in Angel's match against Charlotte gets the title shot. So I could have to face Angel" Kristy said, tearing up.

"What's wrong with that?" Roman asked.

"She made me a promise once after she found me beaten that she'd never lay her hands on me. No matter what. You guys know that she won't even train with me right? That's why" Angel said.

"It was Hunter wasn't it?" Owen asked.

"Yeah. Stephanie said that while she likes Kristy as Champion, he doesn't" Angel said.

"What am I going to do?! I'm not going to ask Angel to lay down for that witch, but I can't face her! I won't do it!" Kristy said.

"Alright, Kris. It's alright. Bret, Owen and I will go and talk to Vince and see what he can do. The old man knows the rule about you and Angel, so we'll talk to him, OK?" Taker said, giving Kristy a hug.

"How does he know about it?" Kristy asked, looking up at him.

"Well, when you told us the story behind it, I went to him. I didn't say why you made the promise, but I told him that under no circumstances were you two to fight each other because you had promised Angel you wouldn't" Taker said.

"You…did that for us, Daddy?" Angel asked.

"Of course he did. Owen and I even made it doubly clear that you and Kristy were never to fight" Bret said.

"Really? Thanks you guys" Kristy said.

"Are you alright, Kristy?" Dean asked.

"I was. Until that happened" Kristy said.

"Don't worry, my Little Kristy, we'll get this fixed. Vince is the one person who can over turn what Hunter decides to do" Taker said.

"He's just trying to make you miserable by forcing you to do something you don't want to" Angel told her.

"That's Hunter. He's always hated us" Kristy said.

"Correction: he's always hated me" Bret said, "And he has no right to take it out on Kristy"

"He hates Uncle Owen too. He just won't admit it" Kristy said.

"That's true. He also knows that I'm not fond of him. Not after what happened to Bret" Owen said.

"I can't blame you there. It will be alright, Kristy. I'll fix this" Taker said.

"I'm still worried though. What if Vince can't get him to change his mind? Then what?" Kristy asked, feeling panicked.

"Then we have to go old school" was Taker's answer.

Kristy nodded, but she wasn't exactly sure what Taker meant. All she knew was that he must have already had a plan in mind in case Plan A didn't work. It was Lea that spoke next, breaking Kristy out of her thoughts.

"What do you mean, Daddy?" Lea asked, sounding more excited than Angel had heard in awhile.

"Yeah. Go old school how?" Wyatt said, looking excited.

"Wyatt, have you been watching Papa Taker's old matches and promos?" Kristy asked.

"Yeah. I'm sorry" Wyatt said.

"Both of us have" Lea said.

"That's why you two have been so tired lately. You've been staying up late watching Daddy's old matches and stuff" Angel said.

"Are you guys mad?" Lea asked.

"No. But if you want to watch my matches and things, just let me know. You don't have to sneak them in at night" Taker said.

"OK!" Lea and Wyatt said.

"So how are you going to go old school Papa Taker?" Wyatt asked.

"Tell us, Daddy!" Lea said.

"Mind games" Taker said.

"Just…be careful, Daddy. The last time you did mind games on Vince, it was when you kidnapped Steph and it almost drove him completely mad. So, be careful. If Vince goes mad then we'll really be in trouble. Hunter will be running the place permanently if that happens" Angel said.

"Yeah, so be easy on the whole scaring him thing, Uncle Taker" Kristy said.

"I just need to mess with his head a bit. And remember, that's a back up plan, if Vince can't get him to change his mind" Taker said.

"Hunter is stubborn though, so Vince might not be able to get through to him. I know Steph isn't happy with him. I can't see, but even I could tell that she wasn't happy with having to deliver his "message" to us. She seemed upset and angry" Angel said.

"That's because she thinks Hunter's ego is getting in the way of business and she knows it. And she's right. It is" Bret said.

"You're right" Kristy said.

Everyone nodded. Hunter's ego and his apparent hatred of the Harts was getting in the way of business and they all knew it. Roman and Dean stood up. They had to go to the ring to address what had happened with the Shield the week before. They looked at Angel and Kristy. The two girls just nodded. They knew Roman and Dean wouldn't let anything happen to them. Besides that, Seth now knew that his former best friends had done the one thing he advised them not to do. The four of them walked through the arena to the concourse level where they would enter through the crowd. Fans were milled there and they cheered when they saw the four of them. Kristy and Angel just turned around and waved at them and so did Dean and Roman.

Out in the arena, the Shield's music hit. The four of them headed down to the ring through the crowd. Roman held Angel's hand on the way down to make sure she didn't fall. Then he lifted her over the barricade. Angel could hear all of the male fans booing at him. She couldn't help but let a grin creep across her face. Dean and Roman climbed into the ring and Angel and Kristy slid in under the ropes. All four of them asked for microphones.

"Well, we all seem to be having our issues, don't we?" Roman said.

"No kidding. The Dead Girl and Kristy are dealing with a wannabe queen…." Dean said.

"Don't remind me. Please" Angel said, rolling her eyes.

"And…it turns out…you two had a complete traitor in your midst and didn't even realize it" Kristy said.

"Can we please not bring that up?" Dean said.

"We kinda have to. You two need to tell these good people what it is you're going to do about that slithering snake in the grass sell out named Seth Rollins" Angel said.

"Well, what are you going to do about the wannabe Queen, Dead Girl?" Dean asked.

"I said this earlier, but I am going to go to Money in the Bank and make her Rest…In…Peace…" Angel responded, "And when I do, she'll have to go to the back of the line and work her way to the front to get a shot at Kristy's title. Just like everyone else. That is, if she even knows what hard work is"

"Now, what are you going to do about the traitor?" Kristy asked.

"Simple. I'm going to rearrange Rollins' face!" Dean said.

"And once Seth is out of the way, the rest of the Authority is next!" Roman said.

"Just…do me a favor, OK? Don't hurt Kane and don't hurt Randy" Angel said.

"But they're part of it" Dean said.

"Kane is there because Hunter threatened to make things hard for Angel and the rest of her family and Randy's in there because he wants to protect Sara. They're not there because they want to be" Kristy said.

"Still standing up for Randy, huh?" Dean asked.

"Hey, calm down. There's nothing between her and Randy, Dean. They're friends is all. Trust me. We've both been friends with him since we started here. Besides that, he's married" Angel said.

"And Randy's always had our backs" Kristy said.

"Alright, alright, no hurting Kane and no hurting Orton" Roman said.

"And if Nikki Bella needs handling, I've got it" Kristy said.

"I almost forgot her and Cena were part of it" Dean said.

"What about me? What am I supposed to do?" Angel said.

"You've got Charlotte to worry about" Roman said.

"I'll handle Cena and Nikki Bella. Don't worry" Kristy said.

"Right. So it's settled. Seth, when we get hold of you, you're not going to like it. And once you're out of the way, we'll be taking care of the rest of the authority" Dean said.

"And the so called Queen of WWE…like I said, you're going to Rest…in…Peace. And when you do, you'll have to work for a title shot just like the rest of the Women in the WWE. And not even Daddy is going to be able to help you!" Angel said.

"Nikki, Cena, make a note. If you get involved in this at all, I will get you too" Kristy said.

Just then, Triple H's music hit and Hunter, Nikki, John, and Seth came out. Randy and Kane were noticeably absent from the group. Angel glared at Hunter. She wondered if maybe now that Seth was there, Hunter didn't need her Uncle anymore. She stepped forward, glaring at all of them.

"Well, well, look who it is. What do you want now? Have you come up with something else since the best plan you could come up with in your little mind didn't work and I'm still standing here in one piece?" Angel asked, "Or did the sellout, the whore, and the jackass have something to add?"

"Or maybe he wants to come out here so that everyone can see his giant hooter" Kristy said.

"Either that or he wants to stick his hooter in our business…as usual" Angel said.

"Actually, Dead Girl, I'm not out here to punish you anymore. That's over and done with. Seth does have a little bit of a bone to pick with the pathetic remnants of the Shield though and I'm sure Nikki and Cena would like to respond to what your little friend just said" Hunter said.

"You two lied to me. All those times I asked if there was anything going on, you lied" Seth snapped.

"Of course we did! You hate Angel. You hate Kristy. Do you think we'd be dumb enough to really tell you what the hell was going on?" Roman asked.

"And besides that, we like them better than you!" Dean said.

"Although, it wouldn't really take much" Roman said.

"Yeah, yeah. Get over yourselves. I do have something I want to say to Kristy. You don't have the guts to do anything to me or to Nikki. You're nothing but a paper Champion and a spineless whore who went running to Dean Ambrose because Adam and I left her. Let me give you some advice Dean, don't get too attached to her because before you know it, she'll go running to someone else and-" John started.

Before he could finish his sentence, two lightning bolts struck on either side of the ramp. John and the others looked around in fear. Roman and Dean looked up to the nose bleed section to see if Taker was in the crowd somewhere and had done it, but Kristy turned around and looked at Angel. She was just returning her eyes to normal, but she looked angrier than Kristy had seen in a long time.

"John Cena, I am going to offer you some advice of my own. Learn when to speak and watch what the hell you say because you might just say it to the wrong person" Angel growled.

"And if you're calling me a whore, John, I suggest you look next to you. At least I didn't sleep with Dolph Ziggler and flirt with my sister's finance. Well, at the time boyfriend" Kristy smiled.

"And as for your "advice" Cena, you can take it and shove it up your ass. I didn't ask for it and I don't want it. Has it ever occurred to you that Kristy left Adam and left you because the both of you treated her like crap? I don't know much about Adam, but I know that the minute Barrett did what he did to her you started to treat her like trash! And if Kane hadn't already beat me to it, I'd walk up that ramp and beat your ass for it" Dean snapped.

"Speaking of Kane, where is he? And where's Randy? They're noticeably missing" Roman said.

"Yeah, what did you do with them, Hunter?" Angel asked.

"Their services are no longer required. If you go looking around the back hard enough, you'll find them" Hunter said.

"If you hurt my Uncle, I am not going to hesitate to walk into your office and rip you apart" Angel growled.

"Not to mention, you had better not have hurt Randy" Kristy said.

Hunter just laughed at them. Angel knew that was not a good sign. She threw her microphone down and left the ring before any of them could stop her. She walked up the ramp and pushed everyone aside to get to the back. She ran for the locker room and threw the door open. She sighed in relief. Randy and Sara were there, so at least they were safe, although Randy did look a little banged up.

"Randy, what happened?" Angel asked.

"Kane and I were exiled from the Authority now that he's got his golden boy. They kicked the hell out of the both of us. I'm alright, but I haven't seen Kane. I don't know where he is or if he's hurt or how bad or anything" Randy answered.

"Well, at least you're alright. Daddy, I gotta go find Uncle" Angel said.

"Right. Be careful out there, baby girl. They're still running around, so watch yourself" Taker said.

Angel nodded and left the locker room. She headed back the way she came from, knowing that she would bump into Kristy, Dean and Roman. Sure enough, she did. She let them know that Randy and Sara were in the locker room and that Randy was a bit banged up, but otherwise fine.

"And Kane?" Kristy asked.

"No idea. I've got to find him though. You and Dean head back to the locker room. Ro, would you mind coming with me?" Angel asked.

Roman nodded. Kristy and Dean headed back to the locker room. Angel and Roman went and looked around the whole arena. They found nothing. Then Angel got an idea. She headed for the boiler room. She didn't know why or how she knew, but she had a feeling she would find him there. She headed down the stairs and opened the door, nervously.

"Ugh, why would Kane be down here?" Roman asked.

"No idea. He just likes it for some reason. Probably because it's dark" Angel said.

"True" Roman said.

They stepped in and began to look around. It wasn't long before they found Kane. Angel screamed. He was slumped against the wall, clearly beaten up. She ran up and knelt down. She shook him. Kane opened his eyes and looked around. A small smile crossed his face when he saw Angel there.

"Uncle, are you alright?" she asked.

"Did you two happen to get the license plate on the truck that ran me over?" Kane asked, sounding as though he was in pain.

"No, but the same truck ran over Randy" Roman said.

"Looks like big nose is back to his old ways" Kane said.

"Can we get out of here? Not that I'm creeped out, but this is the perfect opportunity for someone to jump us and I don't trust him" Angel said.

Kane and Roman nodded. Angel put her hands in front of her and a red glow surrounded them. Instantly, Kane felt better and he was able to stand up. All three of them walked out of the boiler room and headed back to the locker room. It had been a long night.

* * *

 **Alright, that's it for now. Please leave a review. I'm also open to suggestions because I'm a bit stuck as to where to go from here. Thanks guys!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	31. Bump in the Road

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. I'm finally back with a chapter! Finally! I'm sorry it took a long, but stuff is going on. I'm moving...again, so that is a thing. And school was happening too. It's winding down though. So yay!**

 **Anyway, thanks to Dean's Country Angel for the hand! I do appreciate it! Also, thanks to: Cena's baby doll, Wolfgirl2013, Abigail Orton, tomwilliams1990, and nattiebroskette for their reviews! You guys are awesome. And I'm sorry this takes so long!**

 **Abigail Orton: Oh, dang. Hope your foot is better by now! Here's your next chapter!**

 **Thanks for being super duper patient guys! See you at the bottom**

* * *

 **Chapter 31: Bump in the Road**

One month later, it was the night of Money in the Bank. Angel's rivalry with Charlotte had become intensely personal over the last little while. Charlotte kept bringing up Angel's past even though Taker had warned her not to. Angel had not confirmed or denied any of it. Instead, she had gone out of character by bringing up things about Charlotte's father. She had thought about bringing up her brother Reid Flair, but had decided against it, knowing that it wasn't the best idea and that she was going out of character enough as it was. Instead, she had brought up Ric's debt issues and his issues with alcohol. Angel sighed as she stepped into the locker room. Everyone knew that this thing with Charlotte was getting to her and they were sure they knew why. Even though Angel had dealt with her past and even brought a bit of it up in the ring before, it all still hurt. Angel stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Man, why doesn't she just go to the ring and admit that everything that Charlotte has said in the last month is true? She doesn't even have to explain it all in detail. It's clearly bothering her" Roman said.

"What's bothering her, Roman, is that her past still hurts! It always will, I think. And that brat is going around spreading it on live TV week in and week out to try and get in Angel's head" Taker said.

"Has it worked?" Dean asked.

"Not as intended. All it's done is made her angry. She thinks that if anyone should be out there talking about her past, it should be her. Not Charlotte Flair, who twists everything into whatever she needs it to be" Kristy said.

"At least it'll be over tonight. After Angel puts her fist through Charlotte's jaw that is. Then maybe she'll back off and Angel can fix things" Dean said.

"It's going to take a lot of fixing" Roman said, looking worried.

"Yeah, well, Angel can fix it after she kicks Charlotte's sorry ass" Kristy said.

"I feel bad for her. Everything seems to happen to her" Dean said.

"It's not the first time Angel has had this happen to her and it won't be the last I'm sure, but we all know the Flairs are bullies" Kristy said.

"Unfortunately they are. And Angel's been bullied before, but this is different" Taker said.

"The Flair's usual round about way of cheating" Kristy said.

"I thought that you said all this did was make her mad. Please don't tell me Charlotte is in Angel's head" Roman said.

"She's not, but she is" Taker said.

"I don't get it" Dean said.

"Charlotte is like her Dad. If she can figure out a weakness, she will play on it. Ric was known for that when he was in the ring" Taker said.

"Yeah, but why Angel's past? Why bring up things that Angel has all but put to rest?" Roman asked.

"Because she's a bitch" Kristy said.

Just then, the bathroom door opened and Angel stepped out. She was changed, but she looked like she had been crying and there were still tears in her eyes. Lea jumped off the couch and hugged her sister before anyone could move a muscle.

"Angel, it'll be alright. You'll kick Charlotte's sorry butt and then she'll regret ever saying anything" Lea said.

"If you guys say so" Angel whispered.

"You will and then I'll handle her ass" Kristy said.

"I guess" Angel said.

"Angel, what's wrong with you tonight? You're usually a lot more…energetic before a match. How come your heart isn't in it? What's wrong with you?" Bret asked.

"Seriously, Bret?! You're asking me that?!" Angel snapped, turning to look at him.

"Uncle Bret, sometimes you can be so…so…oh, fuck it" Kristy said.

"My heart isn't in it, Bret, because of what Charlotte has been doing to me for the last month! She's bringing up things that I had all but dealt with! The abuse! The fact that Daddy and Mom couldn't be there! All of it! And no matter who brings it up, or why…or when…it still fucking hurts" Angel snapped.

"Come on, Ang, we could use some air. Besides, I could use more of that Ice Cream we found hidden in the freezer in the catering area" Kristy said.

"Fine. We'll be back in time for my match" Angel said.

"Alright, you two. Just keep out of trouble" Taker said.

"We'll try" Angel said.

The two of them left the locker room, closing the door behind them. Angel sighed in relief. She loved Bret, but sometimes he could be really stupid. The two of them just starting walking. Kristy waited. She knew that Angel would talk when she was ready.

"I thought that all the physical pain was bad. This is worse" Angel whispered.

"Ang, don't worry about that Flair-whore. She's all talk" Kristy said.

"Easy for you to say. It's not your past she's pulled out of the box and into the open for the world to see" Angel said, hanging her head.

"Well, true. But she would love to" Kristy said.

"Maybe I should go out and just tell the fans the truth. That everything that Charlotte has said is true. Then they can boo me out of the building and that will be the end of it" Angel said.

"No. Because then I'd have to tell them the truth about me" Kristy said.

"They already know. Remember Eva Marie ran her mouth off?" Angel asked.

"Oh yeah…she did. And you removed all doubts. I forgot about that. Look, even if you do tell the fans the truth about your past. That everything that blond bitch has said is in fact true, they won't care. They'll still love you" Kristy said.

"I doubt it" Angel whispered.

"Ang, if I had to go out there and say that everything that the red headed whore said about me is true, then you can do the same" Kristy said.

"Says who?" Angel said.

"Says me. You're strong. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You're certainly stronger then any other person I've met. Well, that's not true. There's one other person that's just as strong as you are…" Kristy said.

"Daddy" Angel said.

"Yeah, but that aside, you can do it. Besides, Ro will be with you. Remember? He's going to ring side to keep the old idiot in line" Kristy said.

"True. Very True" Angel said.

"So you can do it. Just go out there and tell them that what Charlotte is saying is true and that you warned her once to keep her mouth shut and she didn't so now it's time to make her rest in peace" Kristy said.

"What…if I win and we have to face each other? Then what? Why the hell is that big nosed asshole so intent on making our lives so damn difficult?" Angel said.

"Uncle Taker is talking to the old man. He knows the rules" Kristy said.

Angel nodded. She didn't feel any better about any of this though. Now she knew how people felt when her father messed with people's heads. It wasn't nice. They went to the catering area and Kristy dug in the freezer and pulled out the ice cream. Then she went and got two spoons. Angel sat down.

"How did you find this anyway?" Angel asked, sticking her spoon into the bucket.

"Owen snuck it in. He figured we could use it" Kristy said.

"Leave it to him to sneak our comfort food into the catering area. Let's go easy on this though. Last thing we need is to get fat" Angel said.

Kristy laughed and the two continued to eating ice cream and talking. After about an hour or so, they headed back to the locker room. When they walked in, Angel took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Look, guys…earlier…well, I just needed a break. I'm going to go to the ring early. It's time I set the record straight here. It's time for me to tell the fans that everything is true. If I do that, then she can't use it as a weapon anymore" Angel said.

"Good for you, Ang" Dean said.

"Dean. Don't call me Ang" Angel said, glaring at him.

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"That's reserved for Kristy and Kristy alone" Angel said.

"OK. Sorry. Stop giving me your Dad's death glare" Dean said.

"I told you not to call her that" Kristy said.

Angel laughed at that. Then she slipped into the bathroom and washed her face off. When she came out, Kristy applied her eyeliner. Then she put on a hooded trench coat and got her father to do it up for her. Then she pulled the hood up.

"Are you going to be alright, Aunt Angel?" Wyatt asked.

"I'll be fine once I get my hands on Charlotte Flair" Angel said.

"Please tell me that someone is going with you to keep her Daddy out of it. You know he'll be there" Bret said.

"Roman is going with her" Kristy said.

"Good. Angel, are you sure you're alright with going out there and admitting to your past? I mean, don't take this the wrong way but…well, you've said it before, there isn't much to be proud of" Bret said.

"BRET!" Owen shouted.

"Nah. Owen, it's fine. He's right. There isn't a lot in my past that I'm proud of" Angel said, "And honestly, I don't know how I feel about going out there and saying that it's all true. Part of me is itching to so that it can't be used as a weapon against me anymore. But…"

"But what?" Taker asked.

"But part of her is worried the fans will hate her" Kristy said.

"Why would they hate you, baby girl?" Taker asked.

"I don't know. Well…I guess it's just…the fans see me as this strong, beautiful woman…and that's a lie" Angel whispered.

"You are a strong woman Angel. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not" Dean said.

"Dean, that's not the point. The point is, they see me as that and it's not true. I'm not as strong as everyone thinks I am. I mean…well…all you have to do is look at everything that's happened to me over my twenty-three years! The only reason I'm still here is because I got lucky when I was thirteen and met someone who gave a damn whether I lived or not" Angel said, glancing at Kristy as she spoke.

"Angel Marie Calaway, stop it right now" Owen said.

"Ang, come on, you can't be that way" Kristy said.

"Look, I'm just…I'm not as strong as all those fans think I am. I've been lying to them. And I've been lying to myself. I'm…not strong. I just got lucky is all. I got lucky because Kristy came into my life and helped get me back with Daddy. It was all luck" Angel whispered.

"It wasn't luck, Ang" Kristy said.

"It was so! I'm not strong enough" Angel said, breaking down.

"Flair's little brat is going to wish she had never set foot here" Taker growled.

"Can I?" Kristy asked.

"Someone has to do something" Dean said, "And Angel is clearly not in any condition"

"I'm fine" Angel said.

"No, baby girl, you're not fine. You're an emotional wreck right now. I'm not going to let what happen to Jen and her little friends happen again. If it does, that big nosed moron will come up with some way to punish you that will be worse then what he threw at you before" Taker told her

"The thing is, are the fans going to believe Kristy if she's the one who walks out there and tells them about Angel's past?" Bret asked.

"Why wouldn't they?" Angel whispered.

"They will. Believe me" Kristy said.

"Should we talk to Stephanie before we do this? Do you think she'd want to know what it is that's going on?" Roman said.

"She's the sensible one, but even so, I wouldn't want to do this without letting her know" Dean said.

"I'll go talk to her while there's still time" Kristy said.

Everyone agreed. Kristy left the locker room and went to Stephanie's office. She knocked on the door and walked in. She was a bit shocked when she saw Hunter there. She sighed. Now she wasn't looking forward to have to talk to Stephanie now.

"Hey, Kristy. Can I do something for you?" she asked.

"Yes. It's about Angel. Thanks to Charlotte, she's in no condition to wrestle and is about to have a mental breakdown, so you might as well just change the match now. Me vs Charlotte for the Diva's Title. And I'm going to need some time to go out to the ring and explain this because the fans were expecting to see Angel tonight and now they're not going to" Kristy said.

"Is she going to be alright?" Stephanie asked.

"No idea" Kristy said, turning to Hunter, "But it's because of Charlotte being allowed to walk around here like she owns the place. And walk out to that ring, get on the microphone and talk about things that are none of her damn business and things that she has no idea about"

"Hold on, what are you talking about?" Stephanie asked.

"For the last month, week in and week out, Charlotte has been walking out to the ring, getting on the microphone and talking about Angel's past. Something that is none of her business and something she cannot and will not ever, in a million years understand" Kristy snapped.

"I wasn't aware that this was going on. Were you, Hunter?" Stephanie asked.

"I…well…" Hunter started.

"Don't tell me you knew all along that Charlotte was doing this and you did nothing?!" Kristy snapped.

"I knew. And I didn't do anything. And I probably should have" Hunter said.

"Probably?" Stephanie snapped, turning to look at Hunter, "You should have stopped it a month ago when she started!"

"I thought Undertaker warning her would be enough. Taker warned Charlotte a month ago that if she brought up Angel's past again, she'd be dealing with him" Hunter explained.

"So you're going to blame Uncle Taker for following company rules?!" Kristy snapped.

"Kristy, you get your match with Charlotte with Dean at ringside" Stephanie said before turning to Hunter, "And if Ric so much as makes one move against Kristy then Charlotte is suspended"

"Suspended?! What are you talking about?!" Hunter asked.

"Just what I said. She'll be suspended. She walks around here like she owns the place and because of her we could lose one of the most talented Divas we've ever had here in the WWE!" Stephanie snapped at him.

"Are you serious, Steph, you'll really suspend her?" Hunter said.

"Yes, Hunter, I will. In fact, if I had known what it was that was going on, I would have suspended her before now and put an end to this before it got to the point where Angel's mental health was at stake! Kristy, tell Angel she doesn't have to worry about Charlotte Flair anymore" Stephanie said.

"Angel isn't going to be the only one I tell. I'll be sure to let Uncle Taker know that he knew and did nothing" Kristy said, nodding to Hunter as she spoke.

"As you wish, Kristy. And don't worry about the time to explain to everyone what's happening. You'll get it" Stephanie said.

"Thanks" Kristy said.

She walked out of the office. She felt better now that Angel was out of harm's way, but she was livid at the fact that Hunter had known what Charlotte was doing and hadn't said anything to anyone. Kristy walked into the locker room and closed the door. She looked around. Angel had changed out of her ring gear and was sitting on the couch being hugged by Roman, Taker, Lea, and Wyatt all at the same time. Kane was behind her with both his hands on her shoulders since it was physically impossible to hug her.

"What's up, Little Kristy? You don't look happy" Taker said.

"Well, good news and bad news. Good news is it'll be me and Charlotte for the title and if the old pervert lays a hand on me Charlotte is suspended. Oh, and I'll be able to go to the ring and explain just what it is that's going on since fans were expecting to see Angel and they won't get to and since they pay their hard earned money to see us, they deserve an explanation" Kristy said.

"And the bad news?" Kane asked.

"I'm almost afraid to know" Taker said.

"That big nosed bastard knew exactly what was going on and did nothing" Kristy said.

Taker let out a growl and every lightbulb and piece of glass in the room seemed to shatter at once. Angel bolt upright and looked around. She hadn't been paying attention until now. When Kristy looked at her, she noticed that her friend had a far away expression on her face, almost as if her body was there but her brain wasn't. Kristy wondered if she was having flashbacks again.

"Uncle Taker…take it easy" Kristy said, not taking her eyes off Angel as she spoke.

"That son of a bitch knew just what he was doing! He let Charlotte do this knowing that if she did it long enough, Angel would be in no condition to wrestle tonight!" he snapped.

"Deadman, calm down. We just got Angel to the point where she's not cowering in fear in a corner" Dean said.

"She was cowering in the corner?" Kristy asked.

"Just after you left something happened. She started screaming and crying like I've never heard and when Taker tried to hug her, she panicked and ran to the nearest corner. She tried to make herself as small as she could. We got her out and over here just before you came back" Roman said.

"Flashbacks" Kristy said.

"And there are two possibilities here. One, it's really intense or two, it's more than one and she doesn't want to come back" Kane said.

"What do you mean she doesn't want to come back?!" Kristy asked.

"She's really lost in her own head, Kristy" Taker said.

"So? Bring her back! You always have before!" Kristy said.

"It's not so easy, Little Kristy" Kane said.

"Why not?! Just help Angel! She can't wander around in there forever! Bring her back!" Kristy said, raising her voice slightly.

"Kristy…" Owen said.

"Don't even start, Uncle Owen, if you say it, I will walk out of here right now" Kristy snapped.

"There has to be something, big brother. There's always been a way to use our powers to help Angel before. Why not now?" Kane said.

"Because she could get hurt if it goes wrong and you know how I feel about that, Little Brother" Taker snapped, the growl still evident in his voice.

"Uncle Taker…" Kristy whispered.

"I'm not doing anything that will hurt her! There's no way!" Taker snapped at them all.

"Not what she meant, Deadman" Bret said.

"Kristy, you're going to have to explain to me what you mean" Taker said, trying to keep his temper under control.

"Deadman, you know when you get all growly and hot headed like this, it scares Kristy" Bret said.

"I'm sorry, Kristy. I just…I can't do anything that will hurt her. And if this goes wrong, it will hurt her and I can't do that. I promised Bethy that I'd find her and when I found her, I'd never let her get hurt" Taker said, trying to keep calm.

"I know, Uncle Taker" Kristy said.

"Come on, Taker, there has to be something we can do. Kristy's right. She can't just wander lost in her own head forever" Dean said.

"Stop thinking with your heart, Deadman, and start using your head" Bret said.

"Bret, you're a jackass" Kristy snapped.

"Big brother, you know more about and frankly have more powers than me. Isn't there anything you can do that won't hurt her or…do what you're worried about and compromise her sanity?" Kane asked.

"Look, why don't we just let Angel come back on her own? For all we know, there's something happening in there. We can't see in her head. She might be scared to come back. It might not be that she doesn't want to come back" Roman said.

"Maybe I can try" Kristy said.

"I don't know, Kristy…" Owen said.

"Maybe if we can figure out what it is that has her freaked out" Dean said.

"I think I know what it is. She's got to be hearing that bastard's voice in her head. Either that or it's his mother. Or Kristal, her Grandmother" Taker said.

"Or all three at once?" Dean suggested.

"What does her adopted Grandmother have to do with anything?" Roman asked.

"Long story, Roman" Owen said.

"To sum it up, she turned a blind eye to anything Jason did to Angel. She was convinced that Jason was her father. She even came here and tried to take Angel "home" in her words" Kristy said.

"Basically" Bret said.

"Oh, god" Dean said.

"Now she's sitting in a mental hospital in Austin, Texas. She lost her mind when Jason went to jail and was killed by the inmates. She was convinced that Angel was Jason & Amber's daughter and tried to take her back to Calgary to take care of her" Taker said.

"But that didn't work out so well" Kristy said.

"Well, no. It didn't. Angel convinced her to bring her back, so she turned the car around, but she stopped the car, dragged Angel out, beat her up and left her on the side of the road" Taker said, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Don't remind me" Kristy said.

"OK. So if that's the case and they're scaring her and keeping her lost in flashbacks, then how the hell do we fix it? Taker, do you know?" Roman said.

"It's hard to figure out" Taker said.

"How the hell could it be hard to figure out?!" Roman snapped at him.

"Don't you dare snap at him" Kristy growled.

"Calm down, Kristy. We need to figure out what is going on here. In order to figure out what is going on, she needs to speak. That could take awhile since she so afraid right now" Taker responded calmly.

"So we just wait?" Roman asked.

"That's all we can do" Bret said

"Great…" Kristy said with a sigh.

"Why don't you let Kristy try?" Owen said.

"No" Taker said.

"Why not, Daddy?" Lea asked.

"Because she has a match tonight and using her powers takes energy. And she needs it if she's going to win against Charlotte" Taker said.

"I can still help Angel and take care of that witch" Kristy said.

"No!" Taker said.

"Uncle Taker…!" Kristy said.

"I said no, Kristy!" Taker said.

"OK…" Kristy said.

"Look, I know you want to help Angel and that's fine, but you have to think about your match. If you run out of energy you're going to get your ass kicked by that witch. And then someone is going to give you a hard time" Taker said, turning his head slightly to look at Bret.

"What?" Bret asked.

"He's right, Bret. If she loses, you will give her a hard time" Owen said.

"How come he'll do that?" Dean asked.

"It's Bret's strange way to motivate Kristy. It usually works, but there is a lot of history between the Harts and the Flairs. Basically, Flair said Bret was never a big draw, which is total bull crap might I add. If Kristy loses to Charlotte…" Owen said.

"Bret will kick my ass" Kristy said.

"That's not right" Roman said.

"It's the way it is" Kristy said with a sigh.

"Way to put extra pressure on Kristy, Bret. She doesn't need that" Dean said.

"And we don't need an angry Bret, so if Angel doesn't come out of this by the time I get back, I'll help. At least Angel's match was supposed to be first" Kristy said.

"What do you think? Taker?" Dean said.

"I'd say that's fair enough. But you'd best get moving, Little Kristy. Be careful with her alright?" Taker said.

"Why do I have to be careful with her? She's a Flair and look at what she did to Angel!" Kristy said.

"I think he means be careful of her as in watch out for her Flair antics. She is very much like her father in that regard" Dean said.

"I got it, Dean. Believe me" Kristy said.

"She's not happy about this—as if that's not obvious—and she wants to legit hurt Charlotte for doing this" Owen said.

"Yeah, Owen, I kinda figured that out. I've never seen her this angry before" Dean said.

"Just…don't let your anger get the best of you, Kristy" Owen said.

Kristy nodded. She strapped on her belt and she and Dean left the room. Everyone looked at each other. Dean was right. None of them had seen Kristy that mad. In the arena, the show had just started and the fans were waiting for Angel to come out. Instead, they were greeted with Kristy's music as she walked out with Dean. The fans cheered even though they were confused.

Kristy and Dean walked into the ring and Kristy asked for a microphone. She took a deep breath, feeling more nervous then she had ever done before. Not only that, but she was trying to get her temper under control. Dean placed a hand on her shoulder. Kristy started to speak.

* * *

 **And I'm leaving you hanging on this just for a change. Maybe it will motivate me to get another update out quicker, but I am moving and I still have exams and stuff. Anyway, thanks guys for your patience! Love you guys!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	32. An Awful Night

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. Sorry this took so long, but things have been totally nuts around here. Life happened again is all I will say here. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Updates will be coming more frequently since I am done in school.**

 **Thanks so much to: Abigail Orton, Cena's baby doll, and Wolfgirl2017 for their reviews. Thanks so much. You guys are awesome.**

* * *

 **Chapter 32: An Awful Night**

 _Kristy strapped on her belt and she and Dean left the room. Everyone looked at each other. Dean was right. None of them had seen Kristy that mad. In the arena, the show had just started and the fans were waiting for Angel to come out. Instead, they were greeted with Kristy's music as she walked out with Dean. The fans cheered even though they were confused._

 _Kristy and Dean walked into the ring and Kristy asked for a microphone. She took a deep breath, feeling more nervous then she had ever done before. Not only that, but she was trying to get her temper under control. Dean placed a hand on her shoulder. Kristy started to speak._

"I know that all of you were expecting the Dead Girl to come out tonight to face Charlotte. However, due to Charlotte coming out to this ring week in and week out to bring up the Dead Girl's past has caused the Dead Girl to have some real personal issues. That being said…

"I want you all to know that the Dead Girl did have a very rough past. However, that does not have anything to do with the present. You all know that I have known the Dead Girl for a good chunk of my life and in all honesty, I am heartbroken and angry. Therefore, I talked with Stephanie McMahon earlier and I will be taking the Dead Girl's place tonight and taking on Charlotte.

"Charlotte, know this. When you come out here, this match is not about the Dead Girl. This is about you, me, and the Diva's Title, so don't think for one second that I will even think about taking it easy on you. Because believe me, I won't. I plan to make you Rest. In. Peace. And I say that on behalf of the Deadman and the Dead Girl" Kristy said.

She threw the microphone down and removed her Diva's Title and threw it to the referee. She popped both of her hearing aids out and handed them over too. Then she waited for Charlotte to come to the ring. When she did, Kristy noticed that she didn't look pleased. Ric didn't look particularly happy about things either. Kristy wondered if Stephanie had warned her about the possibility of a suspension.

Charlotte climbed into the ring and did her entrance. Dean stepped out and stood outside along with Ric, who stood on the side of the ring opposite him. The referee held up the Diva's Title and the bell rang. As soon as it did, Kristy speared Charlotte so hard and fast that it nearly knocked her out of her boots. Then Kristy began beating Charlotte up, striking her face, arms and any other part of her body that she could hit. After about ten to twenty minutes, Charlotte managed to get away and roll out of the ring. She shook her head and began to walk away from the ring. However, as she was about to head back to the back, lightning struck, knocking them both over. Kristy smirked. Angel had snapped out of her near mental breakdown. She rolled from the ring and went and grabbed Charlotte. She dragged "The Queen" back to the ring and rolled her inside.

"You're not going to get away from me. I have permission do deal with you" Kristy mouthed.

She pulled Charlotte to her feet as she spoke. After that, the two of them had one of the most intense Wrestling matches that anyone watching had ever seen. Every time Charlotte tried to mount some sort of offence, Kristy would find a way around it and find a way to swing the match in her favor. However, eventually, she began to feel tired. She had no idea how long the two of them had been wrestling for, but she was starting to feel the effects. Kristy stood up and turned around to face Charlotte and before she knew what had happened she was down on the mat and the referee was counting to three.

It took a few minutes for Kristy to realize that she had lost and was no longer the Diva's Champion. She sat up, looking disappointed in herself. She rolled from the ring and Dean walked over and hugged her. Kristy started to cry as she watched Charlotte celebrating in the ring. Suddenly, lightning bolts struck all four of the ring posts and the lights went out. When they came back on again, Angel stood there, microphone in hand. She cleared her throat. Charlotte turned and was stunned to see her standing there, clearly not in a mental limbo anymore. She instead looked determined.

"There is no more Women's Championship here in WWE, so I'm going to leave you with some advice, you no good, lousy, sneaky little snake. You take that title and you enjoy it because it is going to come to the dark side" Angel said, glaring at her.

Then she dropped her microphone and left the ring to check on Kristy. After realizing that her friend was alright, she, Kristy and Dean headed back to the back. At the top of the ramp Angel turned and looked at Charlotte again. She pointed to her and did the Rest in Peace sign. Then she left. Back in the back, Kristy and Dean were waiting. Kristy was smiling, despite having lost.

"Angel! You're alright. Um…right?" Kristy said.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry. Let's get you back to the locker room" Angel said.

Kristy nodded, but Angel could tell Kristy was dreading this. She knew why. Bret was going to get on her case about losing to a Flair. Sure enough, the three of them had just opened the locker room door when Bret's angry voice met their ears.

"What the hell happened to you out there?! You lost to her?!" he said.

"Bret, that couldn't have waited about ten seconds to allow them to get into the locker room and get the damn door closed?!" Owen snapped.

"No, it couldn't! A Flair, Kristy? You let a Flair beat you! You're a disgrace!" Bret snapped.

Angel sighed. She pulled Kristy into the room and closed the locker room door and locked it. Then she turned to Bret, glaring at him and looking angrier then he had seen before. She wasn't alone. Dean, Roman, Taker, Kane, Lea and Wyatt had joined in. Kristy had burst into full on tears and had her face buried in Dean's chest.

"A disgrace?! You want to call Kristy a disgrace?! Why don't you shut your damn mouth and be proud of Kristy for putting on one hell of a match against Charlotte Flair. Why can't you be more like Ric? I overheard him talking to the nose and he says that he's proud of Charlotte for even stepping in the ring. If anything, you should be doubly proud of her because she steps into that ring and wrestles without her hearing. You should be hugging her and telling her that she did a great job instead of standing there calling her a disgrace. I've been in the ring with Charlotte. She's not a push over. She's good and she's got more talent in her pinkie finger than her father ever had" Angel snapped.

"Kristy isn't like you or Charlotte, Angel. She had to be pushed to the limit just to stand a chance in this company!" Bret snapped.

That did it. Taker had had enough at that point. Everyone watched as he grabbed Bret right by the throat and pinned him to the wall, holding him off the floor. No one said a word. They just waited to see what Taker would say to his old friend. They knew that Taker respected Bret to the hilt and the feeling was mutual, but he was sick of the way Kristy was being treated and his anger trumped over the respect.

"Should we leave?" Roman whispered.

"Nope. Just shut up and let him say what he needs to and we'll be fine" Angel whispered back.

"You're sure?" Dean asked, not taking his eyes off Kristy.

"Yeah, Dean. I'm sure. Just stay quiet and let him speak his mind and we'll be fine. He's had enough that's all and he's not alone" Angel whispered.

"Yeah, well, right now, I'm scared" Dean said.

"Just be thankful you're not Bret and shut up" Angel said.

"I don't like it when Papa Taker gets angry, but I can't blame him. Bret has treated Mom really bad since she got here" Wyatt said.

"Taker…say what you need to say and put him down. I know that strangling him is super tempting right now, but it isn't going to fix things" Owen said quietly.

"I say let him do it" Wyatt said.

"Me too" Lea said.

"No. Owen's right. Daddy, strangling Bret isn't going to fix things. So, just spit it out and let him go. You know how Kristy gets when you're mad. It scares the crap out of her. Whatever you need to say to Bret, just say it" Angel prompted him.

"Let him hold him up there a little longer. Uncle Bret could stand to lose some hot air from his head" Kristy said, looking up and drying her tears.

"Well, at least say something, Taker. You're mad and rightfully so. Say what you need to say to Bret and then you can hold him there all damn night if you want to" Owen said.

"You're a son of a bitch, Bret Hart" Taker finally said.

"And?" Angel said.

"And you're so busy trying to make Kristy into the Diva you want her to be that you don't notice how good she actually is. You're so wrapped up in holding up your fucking family name that you've forgotten that, at her core, Kristy is a human being. She wins some, she loses some! And if you keep this up, you're going to either lose her, have her walk away from you or have me step in and get her the hell away from you!" Taker snapped.

"He wouldn't do that would he?" Dean asked.

"He would. Kristy's his God daughter. He's always done whatever needed to be done to keep her safe" Angel said.

"There's more to it then just her being his God daughter though, isn't it?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. Kristy was there for Daddy when my Mom died and I was gone. She was like a daughter that he couldn't take home with him. Kristy didn't understand what had happened—not when she was younger anyway—but she knew he was sad pretty much all the time and she stuck close to him" Angel explained.

"I was the only one that could cheer him up when he was having a bad day" Kristy said.

"And when she got older and found out more about what had happened when she was small, they connected more. They were both oddly bonded by the fact that they felt that had nobody. Daddy would do whatever it takes to keep Kristy safe. He's even said that if it wasn't for Davey loving and caring about Kristy the way he does, he would have adopted her a long time ago" Angel said.

"I'm beginning to see why" Dean said.

"She was the closest thing he had to a daughter" Roman added.

"Yep. And if he's got to get Kristy away from Bret then he will. And he'll do it however he feels he needs to" Owen said.

"No matter how many times this happens, I'm still not used to it" Kristy said.

"That's because Daddy only steps in and defends you if he thinks you can't defend yourself. And when it comes to your family and their crazy ass antics, he'll step in faster than any of us can blink. He knows how they are and that you can't handle it even after twenty-four years of it" Angel said.

"Isn't that the truth" Kristy said.

"I am not going to let you sit here and talk down to Kristy anymore. I am not going to let you treat her badly anymore. And I'm damn sure not going to let her be treated the same way on the road as she is back home!" Taker growled, still holding Bret against the wall.

"Uh oh. Come on guys, we'd better get out of here. This is about to get ugly" Kristy advised.

"But, Mom. I want to see Bret get what he deserves" Wyatt said.

Kristy looked from Wyatt to Taker and back. She sighed and nodded. They just watched to see what Taker would do next. To everyone's shock, he dropped Bret to the floor. Then he turned and looked at Kristy. She walked over and gave him a hug. Roman and Dean looked at each other. Taker's anger had vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Thanks, Uncle Taker" Kristy said.

"It's what I do, Little Kristy. I know I don't have to, so don't even say it" Taker said.

"Still. Thank you" Kristy said.

"You're welcome" Taker said.

"So what are we going to do about him?" Angel asked, nodding at Bret.

"This should knock him back in line. If not permanently, then at least for a bit" Nattie said.

"I hope so. All this does is make extra stress for us all" Tyson said.

"Yeah, well, if he falls out of line again, I'm done. I won't have any more to do with him. As much as it hurts me to say that and as much as I love Uncle Bret, I'm tired of walking on eggshells every time I lose a match. To the point where I'm taking my contractual rematch and giving it to Angel because I don't want another lecture—if you want to call it that—if I lose" Kristy said.

"What?! Kristy, you can't give up your mandatory rematch! Let alone give it to me! Are you nuts?!" Angel asked.

"I don't want to deal with him" Kristy said.

"OK. I'll take your place in the mandatory rematch, but only if you're a hundred percent that this is what you want to do. Are you sure?" Angel asked.

"Yes, Ang. I'm sure. I don't want to deal with Uncle Bret on the off chance that I lose and you have some unfinished business to attend to with Charlotte, so tomorrow, we're going to let Stephanie know what happened and that you're taking my place" Kristy said.

Angel nodded, but she didn't feel right, taking Kristy's mandatory rematch, but she didn't voice this opinion. She just asked if they could go now and talk to Stephanie and get it over with. Kristy agreed, thinking it was better to get it over with now. The two girls left and headed to the locker room.

On the way to see Stephanie, they bumped into Charlotte herself and she wasn't alone. She was standing there with her father and Hunter. She was dressed in her street clothes but she had the Diva's Title around her waist already. Kristy noticed that the name plate had already been changed and she pointed it out to Angel. Angel noticed the tears threatening to overwhelm her friend. Charlotte started to speak, but Angel held up her hand.

"Don't alright? Don't even start" she said.

"If it isn't the former Diva's Champion. Sorry for your loss, Kristy" Hunter said.

"Bullshit you are" Kristy snapped.

"You're not sorry, Hunter. You didn't want Kristy as Champion because of her family. We all know it, so don't bother to pretend you care" Angel snapped.

"What are you going to do about it, Dead Girl?" Ric asked.

"I'm gonna do something that Hunter is going to hate even more. That title is gonna come home to the Dark Side for the first time ever. So, like I said earlier, Charlotte, enjoy being the Champ while you have it because you aren't gonna have it for long" Angel snapped.

"Dead Girl, provided you can keep you head clear long enough to beat Charlotte and then actually beat Charlotte, you'd make a better champion than your little friend there" Hunter told her.

That pushed Kristy over the edge. She started to cry. Angel growled under her breath. She reacted by throwing Hunter backwards into the closest wall. Charlotte screamed and Ric backed away slowly. Angel grabbed Kristy and ran with her back to the locker room. Bret was gone when they got there and Owen and Taker stood up at the same time as Dean did. Kristy ran to him first. He hugged her.

"Hey, what happened?" Dean said.

"We bumped into Charlotte, Ric, and the nose. He basically said that I will make a better Champion than Kristy "provided I can keep my head clear long enough" and then "actually beat Charlotte". His words, not mine. I have no idea what he's playing at. By the way, where's Bret?" Angel said.

"He's gone to talk to Stephanie about taking a few weeks off so he could work out some stuff. I'm thinking your Dad actually got him to open his eyes to how he's been treating Kristy this whole time" Owen said.

Angel nodded. At least something had gone right that night. It felt like it had been a horrible night with Angel not being able to compete, Kristy losing her title and Bret berating her for it and having Charlotte add salt to the wound, it had been one of the worst nights Angel could remember.

* * *

 **That's all for now. I hope you guys liked it. Will try to update again as soon as possible. I love you guys! Thanks for the reviews! You guys are the best. Bye for now!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	33. The Longest Night

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, everyone. Geez. Finally. This has been the slowest update process I think ever. Anyway, I finally got it done. I hope you like it.**

 **Thanks to: Abigail Orton, Cena's baby doll, Wolfgirl2013, tomwilliams1990, and Dean's Country Angel for their reviews. You guys are awesome. Thanks so much for sticking with me, guys!**

 **See you all at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 33: The Longest Night**

It was the next night and time for Raw. Angel and Kristy were standing in Stephanie's office. Hunter was there too, which was making Kristy nervous and Angel angry and somewhat agitated. Even so, the two girls didn't back down as they explained what they were there for. Stephanie was somewhat surprised, but even so, she agreed to give Kristy's mandatory rematch against Charlotte to Angel.

"You're sure that this is what you want, Kristy?" Hunter asked.

"Yes, Triple H, this is what I want. I want Angel to have my rematch. She's got unfinished business with Charlotte and what better way to get even then by taking the Divas Title from her?" Kristy said.

"Alright, Kristy. You've got it. And it will be at SummerSlam. And if anyone—and I mean anyone—interferes at all, Angel will be awarded the title and the offending Diva will be suspended for thirty days" Steph said, glaring at Hunter as she spoke.

Angel and Kristy nodded and thanked Stephanie and the two of them left. As they were walking away, Angel was sure she could feel Hunter glaring at her back. She just shook her head and walked out the door.

The two of them walked back to the locker room. When they got there and walked inside, Kristy went and sat down next to Dean. Wyatt climbed up on the couch and sat in between the two of them. Angel was shocked to see Lea sitting on Roman's lap. She had never done that when Angel was with David.

"Lea, are you alright?" Angel asked.

"Yeah" Lea said.

"It's not like you to sit on someone's lap. Well, besides Daddy, Kristy and I. You never did this with David" Angel pointed out.

"I know. I like Roman though. He's super nice…and well…he's already said he's not gonna take you away from Daddy and I. I always thought David wanted to take you away from us. I don't know why, but I did. I'm sorry" Lea said.

"Hey, don't feel bad. I'm not going to give you trouble for feeling a certain way, Baby Lea. It wouldn't be fair. Is Daddy changing?"

"Yep. He's in the washroom. And…well, thanks for not being mad, Angel" Lea said.

Angel nodded. Just then, the door opened and Taker stepped out. He noticed that Angel and Kristy were back, but before he could ask, Angel explained that things had gone fine and Stephanie had granted her request and Hunter didn't object.

"That's because he wants to run me into the ground like he tried to do to Uncle Bret" Kristy said.

"Don't let him, girl. If you do, then you and I are gonna have our first real fight because I'm going to be so pissed at you" Angel said.

"I haven't let anything else stop me. I'm not going to let the Big Nosed Moron who wouldn't know a talented Diva if she walked right into him stop me either" Kristy said.

Angel nodded. She stepped into the bathroom and changed into her ring attire. She was going to wear the ring attire that her Uncle had given her. Over top of her tank top, she put on the vest that Roman and Dean had picked out for her. She liked it because even though it was hot as heck to wear in the ring, it protected her back-which had been a target of Jason's abuse and had never quite healed properly-and her ribs.

Angel sighed. She couldn't figure out why, but she felt worried about something. She stepped out of the washroom just as her cell phone rang. Kristy answered it for her. After a minute, she handed it over.

"It's Xander" she said.

"Great. I'm starting to dread it when he calls. It's usually to warn us of impending Main Roster call ups that are going to directly impact us" Angel said, taking the phone.

 _"Hey, there, Dead Girl" Xander said._

"Hi, so who do Kristy and I have to worry about now?"

 _"Well, I got a call from the Nose this morning. Sadly, it's where it shouldn't be. They're running with this whole Charlotte being Queen idea"_

"Oh. How does that affect us?"

 _"Carmella, Alexa Bliss, and Sasha Banks are being called up to be her "bodyguards" so to speak. Now, you and Kristy can't do four-on-two and come out unscathed. You're good, but I think you're gonna need a hand, so I pulled a move of my own"_

"Okay. Who is on our side?"

 _"I've sent Bayley and Becky Lynch to help you out"_

"Okay then. Thanks, Xander. If you need me in NXT you know where to find me"

"Thanks, Dead Girl"

"Bye"

She hung up and sighed. Then she explained to the room at large what she had been told. That Sasha, Alexa, and Carmella were coming up to be on Charlotte's side and Bayley and Becky Lynch were coming up to help them out.

"Great" Kristy said.

"Hey. Bayley and Becky are good. Besides that, we made friends with them. Remember?" Angel said.

"Yeah. But we were friends with Sasha and the others too and look how that worked out" Kristy said.

"Hey, Hunter's the one that picked them. Xander picked Bayley and Becky for us. We'll be fine" Angel said.

"At least he forewarned us so when Charlotte goes out there to brag tonight, we can counter her and not have to worry about getting attacked four on one" Angel said.

"Bayley is the Hugger right?" Lea asked.

"Yes, Bayley is the Hugger. And Becky is the Irish Lass Kicker. You two met them remember?" Angel said.

"We met lots of people down there. I remember Bayley was really nice and so was Becky too" Wyatt said.

"A lot of them thought we shouldn't have been there. They thought we were too good" Kristy said.

Angel nodded. She also knew that some of the Divas in NXT thought she was dangerous because of what she had done to Jen almost two months ago. She just hoped Bayley and Becky didn't think that she was dangerous. Just as she thought this, there was a knock on the door. Kristy got up and answered it. When she opened the door, Bayley and Becky Lynch stood there.

"We're in the right place, Becky. Hey, Kristy. Been awhile" Bayley said.

"Hey, you two. Yeah, it's been a bit. Nice to see you guys" Kristy said.

She let them in and the looked around. Now they felt even more nervous. It was mostly because of Taker, but Angel could feel them staring at her too. Everyone else in the room noticed that they would look at each other and then look at Angel. They both looked concerned.

"Look, I know that you've probably heard that I'm dangerous because of what happened with Jen, Kel, and Cher, but I'm not. Like I've said before, it could have been any given Diva on the other side of that ring and I still would have snapped" Angel said.

"We knew that, but still, it's nice to hear it from you" Bayley said.

"Yeah, we know that. Jen and the others have been quite busy down in NXT though, trying to tell people that you're dangerous" Becky said.

Angel rolled her eyes at that. Even when they're not around, they still try to cause trouble for me. She thought. Just then, Lea and Wyatt jumped up. They stood in front of Angel and that was when she realized that they were not happy.

"Hey, you two. Don't. They were just telling me what Jen and her friends were up to. They didn't mean that they think I'm dangerous" Angel said.

"Yeah. We don't think Angel is dangerous. We agree with what she did. There is only so much someone can take before they snap" Becky said.

"Yeah. Angel's temper just got the best of her is all" Bayley said.

"Oh…" Lea said.

"OK. We thought you were saying she was dangerous" Wyatt said.

"Nah. We're here to help her and Kristy out with Charlotte" Becky said.

"What's the story with that anyway? You two, Charlotte and Sasha were NXT's Four Horsewomen. Did something happen?" Kristy asked.

"Kristy…." Angel started.

"OK, stupid question. Guess a better thing to ask would be what happened?" Kristy asked.

"It's just Charlotte's attitude is all. She's…well, you two have seen it" Bayley said.

"Yeah, we've seen it. Is that it?" Angel said.

"Well, she has turned on us both at various points, but it's more the attitude than anything. Besides, you're our friends and we want to help" Becky said.

"Thanks, girls" Kristy said.

"Um…so…is this normal? I mean, you two have an entourage back here" Bayley said.

"Well, less an entourage and more…a big…somewhat odd family. But yeah, it's normal" Kristy said.

"Oh, speaking of…we should introduce you. Bayley and Becky were our friends in NXT. And…well, they and Charlotte and Sasha worked to get Women's Wrestling more recognized. And as far as NXT goes, they seem to have succeeded" Angel said.

"We didn't do anything special really" Bayley said, a red tinge creeping into her cheeks.

"Still…" Angel said.

"Anyway, well, do I have to give introductions? Really? You guys know every one here right?" Kristy said.

"Kristy! It's polite. Bayley, Becky. Meet Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Owen Hart, Natalya, the Brothers of Destruction, my baby sister Lea, and Kristy's son Wyatt" Angel said.

"Wow. Jen was right. There is something going on with Kristy and Dean" Becky said.

"And Angel and Roman" Bayley said.

"Oh, my good God. Jen can't keep her damn mouth shut or her stupid nose out of our business" Angel said.

"Don't let it bother you, baby girl. You've got bigger fish to fry" Taker said.

"Like taking the Queen's Crown" Lea said, looking up at her sister.

Angel laughed at that. Bayley and Becky both agreed. Both of them wanted to see Charlotte get her payback for being so big headed and if they weren't the ones to do it, they at least wanted to be there to help and see it happen.

"You guys seem kind of nervous" Angel said.

"It's…just…well…" Bayley said.

"It's my Daddy that's making you nervous, isn't it?" Angel asked.

"Well…um…would we be in trouble if we say yes?" Becky said.

"No, you wouldn't. But you don't have to worry. Just don't hurt anyone in this room on purpose and you have nothing to worry about"

"And if you want his respect, then just keep doing what you've been doing. Go out there every single night and give it your best" Kristy said.

"Like he said once there's no shame in fighting and getting your ass kicked, but there's no honor in not fighting at all" Angel said.

"How do you remember that?" Taker said.

"It was memorable. And…kind of inspirational in a way" Angel said.

"He's right though. I'd rather go out there and fight and lose than not fight at all" Kristy said.

Becky and Bayley agreed. Then the two of them took turns changing in the washroom. Just as they finished, there was a knock on the door. When Taker opened it, Stephanie stood there to let everyone know that Charlotte was going on first and the four of them needed to get moving.

"Hang on, Steph. I just realized something. We have a way to equalize Charlotte and her new so called bodyguards, but what about Ric? We need to equalize him too. The person doesn't have to touch him or anything, but…" Angel said.

"Good idea. Since Angel is the one going for the title...Roman, would you go?" Stephanie asked.

Roman nodded. Angel reminded him not to touch Ric. He was just there to make that Charlotte's father didn't get in the way either. Stephanie left. Everyone watched on the monitor as the show began and the opening pyrotechnics went off. When that was done, Charlotte's music hit and she walked to the ring with her father. She did her entrance and climbed into the ring and asked for a microphone.

"As you all know, I am the best Diva that any of you small minded peasants here in Detroit have ever seen. As your Queen, I have needs that need to be met. One of those is the need to have a Queen's Court by my side. First…"

She was cut off by the sound of a gong and the lights going out. Angel walked out to about the middle of the ramp. Everyone knew that something was up right away. Angel had a microphone in hand.

"Now, I don't usually come out and talk about taking souls. I just do it. However, this time, I felt I needed to come out here and cut you off before you bore all these people to death. Well, and me…again" Angel said.

"You know something, Dead Girl, if you wanted a fight, all you had to do was ask me. Girls, get that stupid little skank" Charlotte said.

Angel looked around, trying to figure out what it was that Charlotte was talking about. From the two side of the ramp came Carmella and Sasha Banks. Carmella had a steel chair and Sasha Banks had a two by four.

Suddenly, Angel felt something hit her back. She knew by the sound that she had been hit by a kendo stick. From there, the three Divas put the weapons to use. They beat her in the back repeatedly. Bayley, Becky, Kristy, and Roman watched in horror, but they didn't move. They just watched the monitor, thinking that Angel would get up and fight back, but she didn't. Instead, Alexa Bliss picked Angel up and ran her head into the mini tron on the stage.

"Oh...my…God…" Kristy said.

"We have to go and go now" Roman told them.

"Hold on. Why?" Becky said.

"I don't know if you guys know this, but Angel was in a bad car accident" Kristy said.

"Yeah. We heard about that" Bayley said.

"When she came back to the business, everyone was told that since Angel had been in an accident, they had to be careful and do their best to lessen the impact a bit if it involved her head in any way" Roman said.

"And that was not super careful. That was a direct impact to her head" Kristy said.

"Oh, my God. She could be seriously hurt then. Let's go" Becky said.

They nodded. The four of them ran out. As soon as Carmella, Bliss, and Banks saw Roman, they took off for the ring. Then they ran over to where Angel was laying. She was laying there, looking dazed and shaking. Not to mention the copious amount of blood that was running down her face. Roman helped Angel to her feet and then wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Kristy handed her the microphone.

"You're going to regret making me taste my own blood, Charlotte Flair" Angel snapped.

Then she dropped the microphone and ran her thumb across her throat. Then Roman scooped her up bridle style. Angel rested her head on his shoulder despite the fact that she was still bleeding. She was shaking, evidently afraid of something. Roman didn't even think before taking her to the trainers room.

He laid Angel down and the trainer went to work and cleaned Angel up. Once they got the bleeding to stop, they realized that the cut wasn't actually that bad, it was just the spot that had made contact with the monitor. Just as they were about to start stitching Angel up, Taker burst through the door, looking completely livid. Bayley and Becky jumped about two feet in the air.

"Don't say anything. Just let Taker do what he has to do" Dean told them.

"Daddy, can you stop making noise? My head hurts" Angel told him.

"Sorry, baby girl" Taker said.

He went and stood on the other side of the bed in the trainer's room and took Angel's other hand. Suddenly, there was the sound of running feet and Lea came running in. She ran right to Taker and hugged him. Taker picked her up so she could see that Angel was alright.

"Hey, now, Baby Lea. Turn off the water works, sweetheart. I'm alright. Just need a couple of stitches and some rest" Angel said.

"A-are you sure?" Lea said, wiping her tears.

"Positive. Just let the trainer do his job, alright?" Angel said.

Lea nodded. They all watched as the trainer stitched Angel up and put a bandage on her forehead. As soon as he was finished, Roman picked her up again. That was when Angel noticed that she had bled all over his shoulder.

"Sorry about that…" she whispered.

"Hey, that's what a washing machine is for, sweetheart" Roman said.

"Reigns, do me a favor? Look after my girls for me. I'm going to get to the bottom of this" Taker said.

"No problem, Deadman" Roman said.

"Daddy, please don't yell at Stephanie. It wasn't her fault" Angel whispered, resting her head on Roman's other shoulder.

Taker nodded. He left the room and headed down the hall to Stephanie's office. Instead of just barging in, he knocked on the door and heard Stephanie call come in. He walked in to find Alexa Bliss already sitting there. Before Taker could speak, Stephanie spoke up.

"Good timing, Deadman. I was just about to start talking to Alexa about what happened out there. I'm sure that's why you're here" Stephanie said.

"You got it. So, Little Miss Bliss, start talking" Taker said.

"No one told me that it was wrong. I mean, I knew about Angel's accident and everything, but no one told me about not hitting her in the head" Alexa said.

"Don't insult our intelligence, Alexa. That special condition came right from the Chairman of the Board. That means that everyone from the newest performer all the way to the top of the WWE Food Chain knew about it. That includes you" Stephanie snapped.

"Alright, so I knew. I only did it because Hunter told me to ignore the rule and do what I wanted. Besides, the fact that she gets special treatment kind of bothers me. And it's because of him" Alexa said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder at Taker.

"That so called "special treatment" is in place so that my daughter can go into that ring and do what she loves without worrying about getting killed! Do you have any brains in that head of yours, woman? Do you know what will happen if Angel ever hits her head the wrong way in that ring?" Taker asked.

"I know, but I figured if I didn't listen to Hunter, I'd get in trouble" Alexa said.

"Well, you were right. You're not in trouble with Hunter. You're in trouble with me! Because as soon as the Divas from NXT get up here, I become the boss. And not only are you in trouble with me, you're in trouble with the man standing behind you right now" Stephanie said.

"You want to talk about Angel getting special treatment? I did one thing for Angel. I got Angel's foot in the door back in two thousand nine and granted special permission for her to set foot in a WWE ring when she was sixteen years old. Two years before she was legally allowed to. The rest was all Angel. She has scratched, clawed, and fought to get to where she was. Then she clawed, scratched, and fought to get back here after doctors told her that she would never be able to get into a ring again" Taker snapped.

"Alexa, next week you are going to face the Dead Girl in a match here on Raw. And Sasha, Charlotte, Carmella, Becky, Bayley, and Kristy will not be at ring side. So, in simple terms, you're going to face the Dead Girl all on your own. Good luck. You're going to need it" Stephanie said.

"What?! You can't do that! You can't ban my friends from ring side!" Alexa said.

"I just did. And just so we know nothing is wrong with Angel, I'm giving her the next six days to rest and heal up" Stephanie said, looking at Taker.

"Thanks, Stephanie. I'd go and find Hunter and deal with him, but I will be leaving him to you. As for you, Miss Bliss, let this be a lesson. Follow the rules next time" Taker said.

He left the room. He was headed back to the locker room when he happened to run into Hunter himself. Taker smirked. Before Hunter knew what had happened, Taker had grabbed him by the throat and pinned him to the wall.

"Quit trying to undermine Stephanie! Do you realize that by telling Alexa to ignore the special rule about Angel could have cost my daughter her life? If she hadn't braced herself or if she had hit that monitor the wrong way, she would have died! Keep your big nose out of the Divas Division and let your wife handle it because she's doing a damn good job. If something happens to Angel or any of her friends and I find out that it's you're doing, I will be coming after you and you will Rest…in…Peace" Taker snapped.

Then he pushed Hunter away from him, causing the other man to smack into the wall and slide down to the floor. He walked away. When he got back to the locker room and opened the door, everyone stopped talking immediately and Lea and Wyatt stopped play wrestling with Bayley and Becky. Roman sat on the couch, still holding Angel, who was sound asleep. Dean and Kristy stood there with Owen and Kane. All of them looked concerned.

"That big nosed…ugh…he could have cost Angel her life! He told Alexa to ignore the special rule about Angel and impacts to the head. Now, Angel's got a match with her next week. Nobody is allowed at ring side. And Angel gets the rest of the week off to rest up and make sure nothing is wrong" Taker said.

"Good. He could have killed her!" Kristy said.

"Is she alright?" Taker asked.

"She's been asleep since just after you left the trainer's room. I didn't want to set her down. She looked peaceful, so I just sat like this because she was getting heavy" Roman said.

Taker smiled. Then he walked over and shook Angel gently. She stirred and after a second opened her eyes. She was startled to find herself back in the locker room.

"Ro…did you sit with me like this the whole time?" she asked, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

"I did. You looked peaceful sleeping and I didn't want to wake you, so I just sat down like this" Roman said.

Angel didn't say anything to that. She just kissed Roman on the cheek. Then she got up so that he could go shower and change into street clothes. Angel noticed that Becky and Bayley were looking at her. This time, it was a look of surprise rather than weariness, nervousness or fear.

"What is it, you guys?" Kane asked.

"It's Angel. In front of the fans…like when she's in the ring or doing a promo she's very aggressive and gets right to the point" Becky said.

"And?" Owen said.

"And outside the ring…back here and I would assume at any meet and greets and Make-A-Wish, she's so gentle. She wouldn't hurt a fly. Do you have a switch on your back that someone flips when it's time to go to the ring or something?" Bayley asked.

"No. Nothing like that" Angel said with a laugh, "I just…haven't had an easy life. I've been to hell and back…and taken a few round trips"

"Angel…" Kristy warned.

"It's fine, Kristy. You haven't by chance heard all the stuff Charlotte has been saying have you?" Angel said.

"You mean about you? Well, yeah. Taker wasn't there when you were growing up and neither was your mother" Becky said.

"And that you were kicked around by your adopted father because it was all you were good for" Bayley said.

"Yeah. That. Well, it's true. Some of it anyway. Daddy didn't know about me till I was three weeks old. It's a long story, but let me give you the gist. Kristal my…well, I guess you could call her my Grandmother…hated my Daddy. Mom told her that she was having Daddy's baby and she freaked out and told Mom to abort me and get the hell away from Daddy and that she was a slut and a whore. Anyway, that scared my Mom enough that she didn't tell my Dad that she was even pregnant. She had me and then gave me up for adoption out of fear of what Daddy would do if he came back home and saw me there" Angel said.

"Well, that explains part of it anyway. We know why Taker wasn't there" Bayley said.

"That is so…that is so not how you're supposed to treat your children!" Becky said.

"Don't I know it. Anyway, that's part one. Part two is that…well, when I was three weeks old, my Mother was killed in a hit and run accident. She died without ever having the chance to tell Daddy about me. Daddy found out about me at Mom's funeral. I went on to be adopted by Amber and Jason and grew up in Calgary. He kicked me around for fourteen years. When I was sixteen, I found Daddy and in the process found out that I was born into Wrestling" Angel said.

"Angel…that's awful…" Becky said, wiping tears from her eyes.

Everyone else noticed that Bayley was just shaking her head. They also noticed that she was crying too. Angel walked over and gave her a hug.

"Hey, it's alright. I hung in there somehow and I'm here now. Anyway, that was the truth of it and I'm not going to deny it. This is the part where she's lying: I was not kicked around because it was all I was good for. I was kicked around because he was abusing his wife and I knew about it and he had to shut me up" Angel said.

"Wow. And I'm guessing a few weeks ago when you were supposed to wrestle and didn't it was because you weren't in the best state of mind?" Becky said.

"You guessed right. I think next week before my match with Alexa starts, I'm going to set the record straight a little" Angel said.

Everyone in the room agreed. As hard as it was going to be for Angel to delve into her past, she needed to let the fans know the truth. That everything that Charlotte had said was true, but the reasoning was not. It was going to be a big step, that was for sure.

Just then, Roman stepped from the washroom, showered and changed. Then the others packed up their things and left the arena to head back to the hotel. It had been an extremely long night.

* * *

 **Well, that's it for now, guys. Thanks so much. Please stick with me. I will be working hard on the next chapter. Please leave a review and I will see you all later. Bye! Lots of love!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	34. A Development

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Whew. I finally finished up this chapter. I need a new comp, so I took an unplanned break from writing. Anyway, thanks so much to: Wolfgirl2013, tomwilliams1990, and Cena's baby doll for their reviews. See you all at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 34: A Development**

The next week, Angel sighed as she stood at the Gorilla position. She was downright scared and had barely said a word all day unless she had to speak to someone. Everyone noticed that she was "zoned out" and not really paying attention to what was happening around her. She was worried about what the fans were going to think. She really hoped they wouldn't take pity on her or even turn on her. _I haven't been so scared to do a promo since the first time I ever picked up a microphone in a WWE Ring._ She thought. Just then, Angel felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and turned around, her hand balled into a fist ready to punch someone.

"Hey, hey, easy girl. It's just me" Roman said.

"Roman…hi…" Angel said.

"OK, what's got you so scared?" he asked.

"Who said I was scared?" Angel shot back.

"It's written all over your face. Besides, you haven't spoken all day. You're scared. Talk to me" Roman said.

"It's the fans. What are they going to think when they hear that Charlotte has been telling the truth the whole time? Well, for the most part" Angel said.

"I don't know what they'll think really, but I do know that you going out there and saying that it's all true is very brave" Roman said.

"I…guess it is. Hey, Roman…would you…well, would you...can you…be there with me?" Angel asked.

Roman just nodded in response. Angel hugged him and thanked him. A second later, her music hit and she walked out to the ring.

She made her way slowly down the ramp. When she got to the steel steps, she walked up and turned the lights back on. Then she stepped into the ring. From there, Angel threw her hood back, rolling her eyes back as she did so.

Then she removed her overcoat, dropping it over the top rope. Then she asked for a microphone. She took a deep breath.

"Alright, there are some things that need to be set straight before Little Miss Bliss learns the hard way not to ever mess with me or those closest to me. Before I do that, however, I need a little help" Angel said.

On cue, Roman's music hit and he walked down the ramp rather than through the crowd. He climbed into the ring and stood next to Angel, taking her hand. Angel took another deep breath.

"The last few weeks, the so-called Queen of WWE has been opening her mouth about my personal history. Now, I'll be honest, I do not want to be standing here saying this because quite frankly I will never be comfortable with reliving my childhood or revealing it. Now, before all you amateur journalists watching this segment online start writing your crap scoops about my father abusing me, you can _stop right now_. For your information, I didn't know who my father was until about eight years ago, when I was sixteen. I grew up in an abusive home with a man who would make Adolf Hitler blush. If it wasn't for the Hart Princess and her family and my real father, I wouldn't be standing here. I'll never be able to repay them for that even if I tried for the rest of my life.

"Living through my past was hard enough. Having someone come out and talk about it is harder. And that's not even the worst part. No, you see, the worst part is that she says I was abused because I wasn't good for anything else. She says that my father and mother weren't there for me because they didn't want me. I'm here to tell you that she's wrong. I was there. I lived it. Do you guys want to know the real reason?"

She lifted the microphone into the air as the fans screamed yes. Angel felt a sense of relief. She thought the fans would hate her. Roman looked at her. She took a deep breath.

"The reason that Undertaker wasn't there for me is because he didn't even know about me until after I was already born and given up for adoption. If you can figure out how you're supposed to be there for someone you don't know about, please let me know. The reason my mother wasn't there is because…well…sadly, three weeks after I was born, she passed away.

"As for the abuse itself, that's an easy one. It was not because I was not good for anything else. It was because he was abusing his wife and I knew about it and abusing me was the only way to keep me quiet" Angel said.

The fans started screaming. It went on for about five minutes or so and by the time it had calmed down again, Angel's ears were ringing. She could tell that Roman was smiling.

"Now, if you were wondering what on earth Roman Reigns is doing out here. Well, let's just say, the Big Dog has been my rock for the last little bit. If he hadn't been here to help and encourage me, I never would have been able to tell you fans all this. Simply put, I love him.

"For now though, I need to address both Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. First, to Alexa. I am going to make you regret giving me another scar to add to my collection. You're going to wish you had never tried to throw me through a TV last week. Now, Charlotte, enjoy being the Champion while you can because at SummerSlam, I will claim your soul. There will be no distractions. No Queen's Court. No entourages. Nothing but you and I one-on-one, face to face in this ring. And when all is said and done, I will have your title, I will have your soul and you will Rest…In…Pain because resting in peace is too good for you, you manipulative little bitch" Angel snapped.

She dropped the microphone. Roman started to leave the ring, but suddenly he stopped. He turned back around and walked back over to Angel. She was completely stunned when Roman kissed her right there in the middle of the ring. Angel laughed to herself as she heard every male fan in the arena boo loudly, while the girls and the children were cheering. When they pulled apart, Roman stepped from the ring, but stayed at ringside. As Alexa's music hit, Angel walked to the edge of the ring and knelt down, looking confused.

"I figure if I stay out here, she won't try any funny business. I won't touch her. Don't worry" Roman said.

Angel nodded. She looked up to see Alexa not walking to the ring. Instead, she had a microphone in hand. Angel picked up the one that was still in the ring and sighed. She was going to have to verbally defend herself.

"Ugh, make me vomit, you two with your little love fest out here. Roman, why would you settle for the Dead Girl when you could have someone like me? I mean, come on! She has more scars than she knows…" Alexa started.

"You listen to me you little bitch. Has it ever occurred to you that Roman isn't shallow as all get out and that the reason he's "settled for me" is because of my personality both in and out of this ring? I don't know if you realize this, but the personality I have outside this ring is a complete and total contrast to what you see in front of you right now. If you don't believe me, take about three hours or so and walk around just this crowd and ask. I have signed more autographs and taken more pictures with fans then I can remember. As for my scars, well, as the little genius here pointed out, I do have scars and I do have a lot of them. I'd show you and the fans all of them if I could, but that's not PG. I can say however, that my scars mean one thing to me: they mean that I have survived. All the abuse, the pain, the surgeries, the crazy matches that I have been put in during the last eight years. All of it. And guess what? I'm still here. Now, why don't you be a good little girl and get in the ring and fight me. After all, why waste the fan's time with talking when they paid their hard earned money to see us fight?" Angel said.

Alexa took a tantrum at the top of the ramp, stomping her feet and jumping up and down. Everything that she thought was a negative about Angel had been turned around and flipped into a positive by the Dead Girl. She stormed down to the ring and waited for the bell to ring. Once it did, Alexa did something very stupid. She tried to rush Angel. Angel responded by hitting a clothes line. After that, Angel climbed to the top rope and did a Superman Punch, making Alexa hit the mat like a ton of bricks. Then Angel pinned her for the three count. With her job done, Angel rolled from the ring and walked back to the back. When she got there, she noticed that Kristy, Bayley, and Becky were all waiting for her. Not only that, but Charlotte, Sasha, and Carmella stood there. Angel was right between them. Kristy, Becky, and Bayley noticed that Triple H was standing nearby.

"Maybe someone will think twice before trying to get someone else to murder me" Angel said raising her voice.

"And as for you, Little Queen. Let that be a preview of what the Dead Girl can do" Bayley said.

"Good luck at SummerSlam Charlotte because based on what I saw out there, you're gonna need it" Becky said.

"Take care of that title while you've got it, Flair. You won't have it forever" Kristy said.

With that, the four of them walked away, leaving Sasha, Charlotte and Carmella all standing there, looking like they had been slapped. Angel looked back and rolled her eyes. Then she walked back to the locker room. As soon as they did, Taker stood up, looking worried.

"What's up, Daddy?" Angel said.

"Davey just called" Taker said.

"And? Is something going on in Calgary?" Kristy asked.

"Yes. Bret's been complaining of headaches lately. And today, he was out riding his bike. He went into the bushes to…well, you guys get it. Anyway, he hit a pot hole in the grass and went over the handlebars and smacked his head on the ground" Taker said.

"Is he alright?!" Angel and Kristy asked.

"I don't know. But we're going to Calgary. He's in the hospital" Taker said.

Angel and Kristy nodded. Neither one of them were saying anything. Both of them were staring at each other, trying not to cry. No matter what had happened between Bret and the girls, they still cared about him and didn't want anything to happen to him.

"We're coming too" Dean said.

"Well, I guess this is one way for you to meet the family" Kristy whispered.

After that, they quietly packed up their things. Then they hugged Bayley and Becky who wished them luck. Then they headed to the parking lot. From there, they headed to the airport. It was going to be a long few days.

* * *

 **Been wanting to put Bret's stroke in here for a bit and I figured now is as good a time as any. But yeah. I hope that you guys like this. Should be getting a new comp soon, so yeah. Please leave a review. Bye guys!~Taker's Soul Girl.**


	35. More Stresses & Scares

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, all. Phew. Life gets in the way. And I got in my own way sorta. I just procrastinated with this one. I am so sorry. I totally forgot to thank everyone who reviewed Chapter 33. I feel so bad, but THANK YOU.**

 **Thanks to: Cena's baby doll, Wolfgirl2013, Dean's Country Angel, tomwilliams1990, and The Undertaker for their reviews. I know that's not actually him and did not freak out. Not even sure the guy knows how to use a computer to be honest lol.**

 **The Undertaker: You're not him. Don't do that again please. And here's the answer to your question. Well, sort of. Not sure if there's gonna be a fourth one. This one might just be REALLY long.**

 **Alright see you at the bottom!**

* * *

 **Chapter 35: More Stress & Scares**

Several hours later, the plane landed in Calgary. Angel was awakened by her father shaking her. She rubbed her eyes. Then she got up and left the plane with her Dad and Lea following behind. Once they got through security, they met up with Dean, Kristy, Roman, Owen and Wyatt. Everyone was talking, but Angel was lost in thought. She was worried about Bret and for the first time was thankful that she wouldn't be able to see what kind of condition he was in. They left the airport and drove to the hospital. Roman could see that the closer they got to the hospital, the more nervous Angel seemed to get. He wondered what was going on. When they got out of the car, he walked over and put a hand on Angel's shoulder. She jumped.

"Hey. It's just me" he said.

"Sorry, Ro. Just...kind of lost in thought" Angel whispered.

Roman nodded, but he looked at Taker with a curious look. Taker just shook his head, saying that now wasn't the time and he would explain it to him later. Roman nodded. They only had to wait a few minutes for Dean, Owen, Wyatt, and Kristy to arrive and when they did, everyone headed inside. They headed for the closest waiting room and found Davey sitting there. As soon as Kristy saw her father, she finally broke down. She burst into tears and ran to him.

"Hey, Kristy. It's alright. He's doing alright for now. Don't worry" Davey said, hugging her.

"I think she's been waiting to do that since you called" Taker told him.

"She always holds in the tears until she sees Davey. He's the only one she lets see her cry" Owen said.

"Not necessarily. I think it depends on the situation" Davey said.

"True. We've all seen her cry at some point" Owen said.

"He's going to die isn't he, Dad?" Kristy asked.

"No, Kristy. Bret's not going to die. Promise" Davey said.

"But it's..." Kristy started.

"Kristy, this isn't like when Matt got sick or when Angel got hurt. Bret's going to be OK. I promise" Davey said.

"Do they know what happened?" Taker asked.

"He's had a stroke. According to the doctors, it was minor. How well he recovers depends on him" Davey said.

"A...stroke?" Kristy whispered.

"Unfortunately" Davey said.

"Do they know how it's going to affect him?" Angel whispered.

"Not yet. It's still too early to tell. Like I said, how much lingering affects there will be depends entirely upon Bret himself" Davey said.

"I should have known things were going too well" Angel whispered, trying to hold her own tears in.

"Why our family, Daddy? Why?" Kristy asked.

"Because apparently we haven't had enough challenges yet" Davey said.

"Sometimes life just happens, kiddo. And when it does you make the best of it whether it's good or bad" Taker said.

"How do we make the best of this?!" Kristy asked.

"That's easy. We just help Bret as much as we can. That's all we can do. The rest is up to him" Angel whispered.

"Kris, you OK?" Dean asked.

"What do you think?" Kristy snapped at him.

"Obviously she's not alright, Dean. She's worried, clearly scared that she's going to lose her Uncle Bret...and probably feels a bit bad given the way their relationship has been the last little while" Roman said.

"Roman's right, but it's not just that" Kristy said.

"Bret was one of the people that was there for Mom when they found out she was deaf and now he's hurt" Wyatt explained to him.

"While they might not have the best relationship, Kristy still loves Bret" Owen said.

"Their relationship wasn't always so...up and down. When Kristy was younger, it was perfectly fine. When Kristy started wrestling, it changed because Bret started thinking more about the Hart name than her. With any luck, this whole thing will change his perspective" Taker said.

"And as for Angel...well, if Bret had have been able to, she'd be his kid. She is his Goddaughter after all" Davey said.

"Not to mention, he helped me more times than I can count on my fingers and toes" Angel whispered.

"And when Kristy and Bret's relationship started falling apart, so did Bret and Angel's because Angel took Kristy's side on the whole thing" Taker said.

"Not to mention, I can't lose another Uncle. Losing Matt and Uncle Dean was bad enough. I can't lose Uncle Bret like I did them. Or almost lost Uncle Owen" Kristy said.

"OK. Kristy, I'm sorry I asked that question, sweetheart. Obviously, you're not alright and I understand. So what has Angel so upset? I mean, I know Bret has a lot to do with it, but I get the feeling something else is going on" Dean said.

"I'm...just struggling right now. Don't worry about me though. We need to worry about Bret" Angel said.

"Aunt Angel, do you need to talk?" Wyatt asked.

"No, Little Guy. I'm alright. Really" Angel said.

"Angel, I know you think we have enough to worry about, but you _are_ important" Owen said.

"I said I don't want to talk about it" Angel whispered.

"Ang, come on. Let's go for a walk. I need air and I'm getting the chills" Kristy said, smiling at her best friend.

Angel nodded. She and Kristy walked out of the room. Dean and Roman looked at each other and then looked at Taker. Both of them knew that something was up. Angel had been super quiet and very jumpy ever since they had arrived at the hospital.

"I know you're gonna ask, so here goes. Lea was born here. That's the only positive thing that's ever happened to Angel in this place. So, when she comes here it brings back a lot of memories. She's been fighting flashbacks since we got here. That's why she's been super quiet. She'll be alright. She just won't be able to be here twenty four seven. Bret will understand" Taker said as Dean started to speak up.

"How is she sane?" Dean asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Taker asked.

"Angel has been to hell and back. How is she still sane?" Dean asked.

"Sheer will and determination, I think. Not to mention, she had a lot of people helping her along the way" Taker said.

Dean nodded. Meanwhile, out in the front of the hospital, Kristy and Angel were sitting there. They weren't talking. They were both hugging each other and crying their eyes out. After a few minutes, Angel wiped her eyes. Kristy stared at her friend. Angel could tell she was worried.

"Kristy, try not to worry. Bret will be alright" Angel said.

"How do you know that?" Kristy asked.

"Because he's a Hart that's why. And if I've learned anything about you and your family in the last ten years or so it's that you and your family are stubborn and strong willed. You don't stop till you get your way" Angel said.

"I guess you're right. But still...I just feel bad. Bret and I haven't had the best relationship as of late" Kristy said.

"I know how you feel there. In case you haven't noticed, my relationship with Bret hasn't been great either. It's because I don't agree with him thinking of the family name first and you second" Angel said.

She wiped her eyes again. She looked at Kristy. Even though she couldn't see, Angel suddenly got the feeling that something was wrong with her friend. She wasn't sure what to do. _If something is wrong then I don't want to leave her here...but part of my mind is telling me to run if I don't want to get hurt._ Angel thought. She took a deep breath.

"Kristy...what's the matter with you?" she asked.

"Nothing" Kristy replied.

"Don't lie to me. Something is wrong. I can feel it" Angel said.

"Nothing is wrong. I'm fine" Kristy said.

"Bullshit. You said you got chills earlier. Now I'm getting this weird feeling that I need to get the hell out of here before I get hurt. You're not fine. What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"I told you nothing is wrong" Kristy said.

"And I'm telling you that something is wrong and I..." Angel started.

She stopped speaking. Suddenly, she saw a dark aura surrounding her friend. It was then that she figured out what was wrong. Kristy's dark side had taken over. Angel wondered if it was because her friend was hurting because of what had happened to Bret.

"Kristy...it hurts, I know, but letting your dark side take over isn't the way to fix things! Snap out of it!" Angel said, standing up as she spoke.

"What are you talking about Angel? I'm fine" Kristy said.

"Then why the hell is there a dark aura around you? I can see it even if you can't. You've got to fight this darkness or you're gonna hurt someone" Angel told her, backing away toward the hospital doors in case she had to run.

"I won't hurt anyone, Ang. You know that" Kristy said.

"I don't believe that. Your dark side can make you do stuff you wouldn't normally do. I should know. Mine took over and I nearly murdered Jen and company, remember?" Angel said.

Kristy didn't say anything in response to that. Instead, she turned and looked at Angel. Angel gasped. Her friend's usually bright hazel eyes had turned so dark that they were nearly black. This was getting worse rather than better. Angel decided it was time to get out of there. She turned around and ran back the way she had come, sprinting all the way back to the waiting room. When she got there, she closed the door. Everyone stared at her, wondering what was happening.

"We...have...problem...Kristy..." she managed to say in between breaths.

"Kristy what, Angel?" Taker asked.

Angel held up her hand, telling her father to let her catch her breath before she spoke again. However, before she could speak, her father had gasped and looked around. Lea had done the same thing and so had Kane. The three of them looked at Angel for an explanation.

"Kristy...let her dark side take over. It's really bad too. Her...eyes have turned black" Angel said.

"Her dark side? What does that mean?" Dean asked.

"Give her about five more seconds and you'll see just what that means" Kane told him.

As soon as he finished speaking, they were plunged into darkness. Lea and Wyatt screamed and ran to Angel and hugged her. Then suddenly the door blew off its hinges. They could see that the emergency lights were on, which meant the hospital was running on backup power.

"So this is what it means?" Dean asked.

"This and hurting everyone she sees" Taker said.

"But why?" Roman asked.

"Because her dark side makes her do things that the "normal" Kristy wouldn't do. You've seen what it does to me before. Remember when I nearly killed Jen and company?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Your Dad said that you would have fought it if you weren't in front of ten to fifteen thousand people at the time" Dean said.

"Right. Only...this is different. Kristy's hurting because of Bret. She willingly let it take over so that the pain would stop" Angel said.

"It's because of Dean and Matt. And almost losing Owen. She's lost one loved one too many" Davey said.

"Now that Bret is in here she's afraid of losing him too and she can't go through that again" Owen said.

"She's tired of being strong" Kane whispered.

"But...Owen's thing didn't even happen here! That was all the way in Kanas City! And what about Angel?! She almost lost her too" Dean said.

"I'm sure that plays a part in this too. And it doesn't matter where it happened, Dean, she still almost lost Owen" Angel told him.

"And her fear of losing Bret is strong. Strong enough that her dark side has a super strong hold on her" Taker said.

"But….you guys can get it off...right?" Wyatt asked.

"We'll give it our best shot, Little Man, but we can't make any promises this time" Taker said.

Wyatt nodded. He knew that the situation was serious and that getting upset wouldn't help. Angel stepped forward hesitating somewhat. Kristy just stood there, glaring at her. Angel took a deep breath. She reminded herself that whatever Kristy said, she didn't mean.

"Kristy, Bret isn't going anywhere. We already know that. Snap out of it! Do you really want to risk hurting your son?!" Angel said.

"Matt died here you know. In this very hospital. I was three and no one could help him!" Kristy said.

"Oh no" Owen whispered.

"T-Taker..." Davey stuttered.

"If she starts thinking about Matt, then Dean will come and this whole place will be reduced to ashes" Owen said.

"And everyone inside will…." Roman whispered.

"Big brother, she's harnessing a lot of emotional pain here. You might be the only one who can reach her" Kane said.

"Let Angel try first" Taker said.

"Why?" Lea asked.

"Because...Amber died here..." Angel whispered.

"Of course..." Roman said.

"Kristy, I know how it feels to lose someone you love in this place and not be able to do anything about it. Amber died here too remember? Every time I step into this place I step back in time. My mind goes back to when I was that scared girl watching someone that I called a mother pass away and not being able to do a damn thing to help her and pleading with the doctors to keep trying and it hurts" Angel whispered.

"Matt was a kid! He didn't even get to start living! So was Uncle Dean, stubborn as he was" Kristy snapped.

"Kristy, Dean died at home. He had a kidney disease. He put off getting treatment for too long. He didn't want to do it. It was his stubbornness that got him in the end. By the time Stu managed to talk him into it, it was too late." Owen told her.

"Don't talk about Uncle Dean like that!" Kristy snapped.

"Big Brother…." Kane whispered.

"Kristine, that's enough! If you don't stop this right now, you're gonna reduce this whole place to nothing but a pile of ashes and you're gonna lose not just Bret, but all of us! Do you want that?!" Angel growled before Taker could say a word.

"Uh oh. Don't tell me the same thing is happening to Angel" Roman said.

"Not exactly. Angel's power is rising, but it's not her dark side this time" Taker said.

"She's tapping into her full power. She doesn't want to have to hurt Kristy, but she'll do it if it means saving all the innocent people here" Kane said.

"Yeah...about that...um, does anyone else see someone holding Kristy's hand or am I like losing my mind here?" Dean asked.

"Not unless I am too" Roman said.

"What are you talking about?" Kane asked.

"Someone is holding Kristy's hand and the two of them can see the person. So, who is it since we can't?" Davey asked.

"You mean, you can't see that?" Roman asked.

"Owen and Davey don't have powers, you two" Angel said, sounding surprisingly calm.

"Yeah, so who is it?" Owen asked.

"No idea" Dean said.

"Obviously it's someone close to Kristy, but I have no idea who. Taker, do you know?" Roman asked.

"It's a kid" Wyatt said.

"Matthew" Owen and Davey said in stereo.

"Matt, why are you here?" Angel asked.

 _"Kristy is hurt. My baby cousin needed me, so I came here. She doesn't like this place. It's very cold" Matt said._

"OK. I'm looking at a ghost and hearing it talk. This is really creepy" Dean said.

"You're not kidding" Roman said.

"You guys...please stop. You're not helping. We'll have to figure out why you can see him later. Right now we gotta help Kristy" Lea said.

"Sorry" Dean and Roman said at the same time.

"Would everyone just shut up for a second?" Angel asked, feeling frustrated, "Matt, where is Kristy? What place is she in that's cold?"

 _"She's with Uncle Dean in the tree house" Matt said._

"Guys, what's the story with a tree house?" Angel asked, looking at Owen and Davey.

"When the kids were all younger, they had a place in the backyard that they called the tree house. They'd sit there for hours and watch us practice" Owen said.

"After Matt passed away, Kristy would run and hide there if she was scared. She wouldn't come out until Bret, Owen or I went looking for her" Davey finished.

"OK. So, she's scared. It must be the fear of losing Bret. Either that or she's afraid of her dark side. Or both" Taker said.

"But she let the dark side take over. Why would she be scared of it?" Wyatt asked.

"Do you think Kristy didn't realize how strong her dark side would be?" Lea asked.

"I don't think she did otherwise she wouldn't have let it take over so quickly" Kane said.

"Kristine, listen to me alright? I know the tree house is a safe place for you, but you've got to fight your fear. It's your fear that's making your dark side so powerful. I know you can do it" Angel said.

"Why are you bothering, Dead Girl?" Kristy asked.

"I'm bothering because that's my best friend you've got hold of!" Angel growled as a white glow surrounded her.

"Uncle...Taker...scared…." Kristy said.

"I know you are, Little Kristy. I know you're scared. You're scared of losing Bret and I understand it. You're scared of losing him because you've lost or come close to losing other people. I've been there. I lost my Mom and Dad. Then I lost Beth. I've almost lost Angel. It's why I'm so overprotective of her and Lea. Because I'm scared of losing them" Taker said.

"But that's not all you're scared of, is it Kristy?" Angel said.

"Too...powerful...I can't..." Kristy said.

"I thought so" Taker said.

"How did she not realize how strong it was?" Owen asked.

"Simple. Someone's darkness or dark side feeds off emotions like fear, sadness and anger. Basically negativity. The stronger that emotion, the stronger the darkness. Kristy knew she was afraid of losing Bret, but I don't think she realized how strong a fear she had" Kane said.

"Mom just knew she was hurting and scared and wanted it to stop" Wyatt said.

"So she retreated into the tree house" Owen said.

"The one place she felt safe" Davey added.

"That's all well and good, but how do we get her out of there?" Dean asked, looking worried now.

"Maybe Taker can talk her out of it" Roman suggested.

"Kristy, I know you're scared, but you need to fight this. I know you're hurting and I know you feel safe there, but if you don't fight then we're all in trouble. This place will be reduced to nothing and you'll lose us all" Taker said.

"Don't know how" Kristy mumbled.

"Mom! You have to!" Wyatt shouted at her, finally bursting into tears.

Kristy threw her hands over her ears in response. At the same time, Wyatt ran toward his mother. Everyone gasped as he was thrown backward. Angel caught him before he hit the floor. He just hugged Angel and started to cry even louder.

"Shut...him...up..." Kristy growled.

"This is crazy. She's having an internal battle with herself" Dean said.

"Pretty much. And she's losing" Kane said.

"She's always been like that. Kristy sometimes has a difficult time with internal battles and doesn't always win" Owen said.

"Kristy, you have to win this one! If you don't everyone in this building is going to die. Including Bret! Please fight. I...don't want to have to hurt you..." Angel whispered.

"You wouldn't..." Dean said.

"If I have to, I will" Angel told him.

"What about Beth? Could she try?" Davey asked.

Angel nodded. It was worth trying and they were running out of ideas. Taker beat her to the punch, calling out for Beth. She appeared over Angel's shoulder and looked around at them all. Dean and Roman gasped and they looked back and forth between Angel and Beth.

"She looks like you" they said at the same time.

"Only her hair color is different..." Roman said.

"That would make sense given that she's my mother" Angel said.

"What?!" Roman said.

 _"Not now, you two. We don't have time for this" Beth told them._

Dean and Roman nodded. Beth turned back to Kristy, but when she started to move toward her, Kristy started backing away. No one said a word. They just watched. Beth stopped walking, realizing that Kristy wasn't going to stay put.

 _"Kristy, I just want to help you. I don't want to hurt you and I don't want Angel to have to hurt you either. You've got to fight" Beth said._

"I don't want to. I'm too scared" Kristy said.

 _"Why?" Beth asked even though she had an idea._

"Death is scary" Kristy whispered.

 _"No one is going to die, sweetheart. You're not going to lose anyone else. Bret's going to be fine. He just has to get better now is all. Promise. The doctors here can help him" Beth said._

"They didn't help Matt" Kristy said.

 _"There wasn't anything they could have done for me, Little Kristy. It all happened too fast. The only thing they could do was keep me comfortable" Matt said._

"No one helped Uncle Dean" Kristy said.

 _"Dean declined their help, sweetheart. He thought he was fine. By the time Stu convinced him to get help, it was too late for him" Beth told her._

"And before you say anything else, Little Kristy, doctors helped me. And Angel too. They're part of why we're both still here" Owen said.

"What about Daddy?" Kristy asked.

"They helped me too, kiddo. If it wasn't for the doctors that looked after me when I hurt my back, I probably wouldn't be walking around" Davey answered.

 _"Wait...I know where this is going. Kristy's always been afraid of losing people, but Bret was the one person she was never scared of losing" Beth said._

"Why is that?" Dean asked.

"Because Bret has always been there. No matter how bad things get he's always there" Owen said.

 _"Bret has always seemed to be so strong to Kristy. She didn't think anything would ever happen to him. And now that it has, she can't handle it" Beth said._

"No wonder she's so afraid" Davey said.

"Wait...that gives me an idea. Kristy, I need you to listen to me alright. I think I've found a way for you to fight this. I want you to close your eyes and try and bring up all the good memories of Bret that you have" Angel said.

"Isn't that how her Guardian powers work?" Kane asked.

"That's exactly how they work" Lea said.

"But Angel doesn't need Mom's help right now" Wyatt said.

"No, she doesn't need help. But your Mom needs Taker and Beth's help right now" Owen said.

"Wait...if this activates her powers...then what's going to happen to Angel?" Roman asked.

"Let's put it this way...I'll try not to make you guys go blind from the light surrounding me" Angel said.

"In other words the glow will get brighter" Roman said.

"Yep. Kristy, do you think you can do what Angel asked? Close your eyes and try and find all the happy memories of Bret that you can. Don't think about how he is now. I know it's hard, but you've got to try" Taker said.

"OK..." Kristy said.

They watched as Kristy closed her eyes. Everyone went quiet. After a few minutes, Kristy opened her eyes again. Now there were tears running down her face. Everyone was confused. No one was sure if it had worked or not.

"I can't...it's too hard" she mumbled.

"What are we going to do?" Owen said.

Angel sighed. She stepped forward and grabbed both of Kristy's hands and then pulled her into a hug. There was a bright light in the room and when everything went back to normal, Angel fell backward. Roman ran forward and caught her. Kristy just stared at her best friend. Her eyes were wide, but she looked concerned rather than scared.

"Ang...why did you…?" Kristy asked.

"I wasn't going to just leave you like that" Angel whispered as her eyes closed.

"I'm sorry guys" Kristy whispered.

"Don't start that, Kristy. It's alright. Sometimes it's hard to be strong" Taker said.

"I'm supposed to be tough. I'm a Hart" Kristy said.

"Don't start that either. Just because you're a Hart doesn't mean you have to be tough all the time" Owen said.

"Mom, are you alright?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm alright" Kristy said.

"That's good. I don't like it when you're scared" Wyatt said.

"Thanks" Kristy said.

"Kristy, what is it?" Taker asked.

"I...don't know. It's just...I am supposed to be tough, you know? I'm a Hart. Sometimes I think that I shouldn't be a Hart" Kristy said.

"Why do you say that Kristy?" Owen asked.

"Because I'm not tough. All of the rest of the family are. I'm not even that tough in the ring. It's the person across from me that makes me look that way" Kristy said.

"She's kidding us, right?" Dean said.

"Nope. I don't think she is" Roman said.

"Kristine Lesley Hart-Smith, has your Mom been talking to you again?! That's the only reason you'd be thinking this way!" Davey said.

"No" Kristy said.

"Alright, so what is it? If it's because of what just happened...well, just because you got scared doesn't mean that you're not tough. Everyone gets scared sometimes" Owen said.

"Krissy, does this have to do with that text you got the other night from your sister?" Taker asked.

"Georgia called you?! Why didn't you say something?" Davey asked.

"Because dealing with Charlotte and her goons and trying to keep Angel safe so she can go into SummerSlam at a hundred percent is keeping me busy. You know as well as I do that if they can jump her, they will" Kristy said.

"She's got a valid point" Taker said.

"Alright. Alright. So what did your sister tell you?" Owen asked.

"Just that I'm by no means a Hart. Not even by name" Kristy said.

"And you believed it? Are you kidding me?" Davey asked.

"Well….I don't know" Kristy said.

"Davey, that really doesn't help. Kristy, what would make you think that Georgia is right?" Owen asked.

"You know how they are" Kristy said.

"I know" Taker said.

"I'm lost" Dean said.

"You'll find out later. As soon as I told Stu you guys were coming up, he said that you have to come for dinner" Davey said.

"Typical Grandpa" Kristy said

"Hey, Kris. Why don't you go sit with Bret for a bit? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you" Owen said.

"I guess" Kristy said.

"Hey, I know he will. Just go see him" Owen said.

Kristy nodded. She walked over to where Roman was sitting, holding onto Angel. She shook her best friend, who woke with a start and opened her eyes. She looked around in fear. Kristy sighed. She had forgotten that just shaking Angel wasn't the way to wake her up and that it was important to talk while shaking her so as not to scare her half to death.

"Sorry, Ang. I'm going to see Bret. Do you want to come?" Kristy asked.

"Sure" Angel answered.

Angel got up and the two of them left the room and walked to where they knew Bret's room was. They opened the door and walked in. Kristy sighed and told Angel that Bret was awake and had oxygen tubes in his nose. She sounded like she was about to cry. Angel hugged her, not knowing what else to do.

"I hate seeing him like this" Kristy said.

"I actually feel lucky to not be able to see" Angel whispered.

"I can hear you two over there you know" Bret said softly.

"Uncle Bret?" Kristy said.

"That's me. At least...last time I checked" Bret said.

That did it. Kristy burst into tears and ran to him. Bret hugged her with his right arm. Angel just stayed back and let Kristy hug her Uncle and cry. She didn't want to go near him for fear of hurting him worse. Her friend cried for about ten more minutes before wiping her tears away. She took a deep breath.

"Uncle Bret...everything that happened. I...I'm sorry. I'm just..." Kristy said.

"You're stubborn and strong willed and set your ways. Sound familiar?" Bret said, cutting her off.

"Yeah. Pretty much" Kristy said with a smile.

"I need to apologize to you too, Kristy. I was thinking more about the Hart name than you and that wasn't right. You're a tough wrestler. And tough in general. Regardless of what your sister says" Bret said.

"How do you know…?" Kristy asked.

"She was sitting at Hart House in front of a bunch of us when she made the call" Bret told her.

"Does her duty in front of the family" Angel mumbled.

"I don't believe it. Why do they hate me?" Kristy asked.

"Because you're willing to think for yourself" Bret said.

"I hope you're right. Are you going to be OK, Uncle Bret?" Kristy said.

"It'll take a bit, but I'll be alright" Bret said.

Kristy nodded. She stopped hugging Bret and went and sat down in the nearby chair. Angel just stayed where she was, not wanting to go near Bret for fear of hurting him more. Bret noticed that she looked worried.

"Do I get a hug or are you going to stand there, staring at me all night, kiddo?" Bret said.

Now it was Angel's turn to burst into tears and hug Bret. She was crying more out of relief than anything else. She was thankful that she hadn't lost anyone else in this place. After she calmed down, she let go of Bret. He was looking at her like her Dad would.

"Don't you have a queen to dethrone at SummerSlam?" Bret asked her.

"Yeah. It's not for another week though. I can take time to come and see you and your parents" Angel said, "As long as I'm back for the Go Home Raw, it'll be fine"

"Stu insisted you come to dinner, huh?" Bret said.

"Hey. They consider Ang a Grandchild, Uncle Bret. They just want to make sure she's doing alright" Kristy said.

Bret nodded, but he still didn't like the idea of Angel and Kristy being at Hart House for dinner with the whole family there. It was an ambush waiting to happen. Kristy and Angel stayed with Bret until visiting hours ended and then—rather than going to Hart House or staying with family—everyone headed to a nearby hotel. Kristy and Angel talked for a while before falling asleep. The last few weeks had been really long and they knew tomorrow night's dinner was going to be difficult.

* * *

 **Difficult times ahead? Maybe. Alright guys, I will see you in the next chapter. Oh, yeah, I have to thank Dean's Country Angel for all her help on this chapter and with the whole series quite frankly because if it wasn't for her I would have gotten stuck so many times I'd still be on DoD I over here. I'll see you all next time. Lots of Love and Bye!~Taker's Soul Girl**


	36. A Visit to Hart House

**Daughter of the Deadman III**

 **Hey, guys. Geez. Life likes to get in the way of my stuff sometimes. That's basically what happened. So here's an early Christmas Present for you all, given that this is being updated a week before Christmas. Love you all.**

 **Thanks to: Cena's baby doll, Wolfgirl2013, Dean's Country Angel, and tomwilliams1990 for their reviews.**

 **See you at the bottom!**

* * *

 **Chapter 36: A Visit to Hart House**

The next night, the group of Dean, Roman, Taker, Kane, Angel, Lea and Wyatt were standing on the cramped porch of Hart House. Kristy was at the front of the group with her hand on the door. She didn't want to open it. She was dreading Dean meeting her family. _Well, not the whole family._ _Most of them just want to see me happy more than anything else. It's just…my mother that's the problem here_. She thought.

"Little Kristy, I know you're dreading this, kiddo, but we're all here for you" Taker said.

"Besides that, standing out here all night isn't exactly appealing" Angel told her.

Kristy nodded. She opened the door and everyone went in. She called out to her Grandfather as Roman, who was the last in line, closed the door behind them. A voice came from the kitchen and after everyone took their shoes off, they headed there. Kristy hugged her Grandparents. Most of the family were there already, sitting at the table. Kristy sighed in relief when she saw that her Mom had yet to show up.

"Your Mom will be here soon, kiddo. With Georgia and Harry as far as I know" Stu said.

"You mean my brother's coming too? I thought he was in Japan!" Kristy said.

"He's got time off" Helen explained.

"Lovely" Kristy said, looking back at Angel.

"What? I can feel you looking at me, you know" Angel said.

"Won't it be weird for you to see your ex again? Especially with your current boyfriend in the same room?" Kristy said.

"Not really. I've moved on" Angel said.

Kristy nodded. Angel was right. She had moved on with her life. She grinned as she pushed Angel forward. She knew that her Grandparents wanted to see her friend to make sure that she was being looked after and taken care of. Angel blushed.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for SummerSlam, young lady? What are you doing here?" Stu asked.

"As long as I make it to Raw tomorrow night, I'll be alright. I'll be able to train in between shows. Don't worry so much, sir" Angel said.

"Ang, you know you don't have to be all formal with Grandpa and Grandma" Kristy said.

"She's just being polite, Kristine" Helen said.

"Sorry, Grandma" Kristy mumbled.

"Now, Helen, don't give the girl a hard time. She's had enough for a life time" Stu said, hugging his Granddaughter.

"It's OK, Grandpa. I'm used to it. I'm the "black sheep" remember?" Kristy said.

"Taker, will you please talk some sense into this Granddaughter of mine? If I didn't know better, I'd say that mother of hers is at it again" Stu said.

"You're sort of right. Yesterday when Diana and Kristy's sister Georgia were here with all of you, she sent Kristy a text message. The gist of which was basically that Kristy was a disgrace to the name Hart. Or something to that effect. Bret said that everyone was here at the time" Taker said.

"So that's why Diana took her off to talk in private. And why Georgia spent part of the visit with her hands under the dining room table. She was texting" Helen said.

"Geez. The way Bret put it, it happened right in front of all of you guys" Lea said.

"Not really. But she must have done it here because she thought no one would notice what she was doing since most of the family was here" Wyatt said.

"And no one would be paying her attention" Kane added.

"Great. Well, we're going to be having some words with Diana and Georgia when they get here. I swear, I don't know why Diana's so intent on making her own daughter's life so hard or why Georgia would even want to help to make her sister miserable all the time" Helen said.

"They both hate me, Grandma" Kristy said.

"I don't get that either. I mean, we know that Diana had Kristy to please Davey, but still. They shouldn't hate you. You didn't do anything to them" Stu said.

"Except breathe" Angel said bitterly.

"I think what he means is that Kristy never did anything to hurt them" Dean said.

"I know what he means, Dean, but still. Literally all she's done to them is be there. I mean, here" Angel said.

"Basically, she just wanted Daddy to take care of me" Kristy said.

"Which happened. Well…after Diana left Kristy in the bath because talking on the phone was apparently more important to her than her daughter" Taker said, anger creeping into his voice.

"Oh yeah. After that, Davey kept Kristy away from home as much as possible" Owen said from behind them.

"Owen! Geez! Don't do that! We didn't even hear you!" Angel said.

"Sorry. I haven't been here too long. Just long enough to catch the gist of the conversation" Owen said.

"So are you gonna stand there talking to Grandma and Grandpa all day or are you going to introduce us?" Oje asked, looking at Roman and Dean.

"Sorry, Oje. This is Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Dean, Roman, this is Owen's son Oje" Kristy said.

"And his daughter Athena and wife Martha" Angel said.

"And these are the rest of my aunts and Uncles. Smith, Bruce, Keith, Ross, Wayne, Ellie, Alison and Georgia" Kristy said.

"All the other kids are outside by the way. They're practice wrestling. Well, the bigger ones are anyway. The little ones are watching" Owen said.

"And introducing you to the rest of my cousins and second cousins would take at least an hour. As you can tell, there's enough to put on a mini wrestling show" Kristy said.

"So, you're the one that Kristy has told us so much about" Alison said.

"Kristy, what have you been telling them?" Dean asked.

"Nothing bad, Dean. Just calm down" Kristy said.

"OK. I'm Dean Ambrose. Nice to meet all of you. Kristy's told me about all of you too" Dean said.

"And this is the one that Angel's got her heart set on?" Stu asked.

"That'd be me. I'm Roman Reigns" Roman said.

"I'm giving you two the same warning I give pretty much everyone that comes into contact with these two. If you hurt them, you're going on a one-way trip to the Dungeon and your time down there will not be fun" Stu said.

"Yes, Sir" Dean and Roman said at the same time.

"You've got nothing to worry about, Grandpa. Really. At least not this time" Kristy whispered.

"Well, Cena has an ego" Stu said.

"And Adam…well, you two just grew apart. Plus, I get the feeling he was jealous of your friendship with Angel" Helen said.

"Adam was?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. He was. After the accident, when we went back to Tampa, we fought about it all the time because I didn't want to be there. It was making Wyatt miserable and its part of why we broke up" Kristy said.

"You never told me that!" Angel said.

"You had enough to be dealing with at that time, Ang" Kristy said.

"Krissy!" Angel said.

"Well, you did. You were still recovering and plus you'd just broken up with my brother. I didn't want to add more to it" Kristy said.

"I appreciate that" Angel said, giving her friend a hug.

"You're welcome" Kristy said with a smile.

"That's Kristy for you. Always thinking about other people first" Ellie said.

"I don't know where she got that from. It certainly wasn't Diana. All Diana cares about is what she wants" Ross said.

"I think the youngest brother had a very strong influence over her as a child" Keith said, looking at Owen.

"It's not surprising. How much time did she spend with Owen growing up?" Stu asked.

"I spent more time with Uncle Owen and Uncle Bret than I ever did at home, that's for sure" Kristy said.

"Not to mention all the time you spent with Taker" Owen added.

Kristy nodded. With that, they all moved from the kitchen to the living room. All the adults sat around talking while Lea and Wyatt stood at the window watching the children in the practice ring and could see a few of the kids sitting in the treehouse, watching the others.

"Mom, is that the treehouse you guys were talking about yesterday?" Wyatt asked.

"Hm?" Kristy asked, walking over to the window, "Oh, yeah it is. When I was little, I used to hide there when I got scared. And I went there to watch Matt and the others wrestle since I could see the ring clearly from there. Nattie used to sit up there with me too sometimes"

"What about Aunt Angel?" Wyatt asked.

"If I ever went there, I don't remember" Angel said.

"No, we never did. By the time I met Aunt Angel, I was too old for the treehouse" Kristy said.

"You were?" Lea asked.

"Yep" Angel said.

"When Kristy and I met we were in eighth grade" Angel said.

"So that made you…thirteen or something?" Wyatt asked.

"Yep. Too old for the treehouse" Kristy said.

"Can Wyatt and I go in there?" Lea asked.

"I don't see why not. Just be careful, you two" Helen said.

Lea and Wyatt nodded. They headed outside through the back door and Kristy and Angel watched them run across the yard. Oje and Athena were following them. They preferred to watch rather than participate and even though they were technically too old to sit in the treehouse, nobody objected to them being there. It was just after that, that the front door opened and Diana, Georgia and Harry came in. Everything went completely silent. Everyone watched as the three of them sat down. After a few minutes, Stu spoke up.

"Diana Hart-Smith, we all have a bone to pick with you, young lady" he said.

"What did I do now?" she asked.

"Don't pretend to play innocent. We all know there's only one person in the family who can get away with that" Alison said, glancing at Owen as she spoke.

"What you did was got Georgia to text her sister saying that she was a disgrace to the Hart name. And that she wasn't a Hart. Not even by name" Angel said, trying to keep her temper under control.

"Which isn't something that Kristy needs right now" Taker said.

"She needs that like she needs a hole in her head" Dean said, standing up and putting his hand on Kristy's shoulder.

Diana didn't say anything. She had turned her attention to Dean. She looked him up and down and then looked at Kristy and rolled her eyes. Then she turned and looked at Roman and rolled her eyes for a second time. Angel saw it and stood up, looking livid. Roman stood up and put his hand on her should and whispered to her to relax. Angel shook her head. She had a feeling she knew what was coming next.

"Really, Kristine? You leave Adam behind and pick up a man who looks like a street thug?" Diana said.

"It's called being real! Adam and I were never good together! We were better off as friends! And if you insult Roman I won't hesitate to slap you" Kristy said.

"You left my son for him?" Diana asked Angel.

"First of all, you've got it backwards. He left me. What I wanna know is why the hell do you even care? You never thought I was worthy of your son anyway" Angel snapped.

"Besides, Harry wanted out" Roman said.

"What do you know about it?" Harry snapped.

"Just that you guys were great until Angel had her accident and then you stayed with her in the hospital. However, when she went to the rehabilitation place, she spent three months there and you were not there at all. I don't know if you grew apart or what, but when Angel needed you most, you weren't there" Roman said.

"Not to mention that he wasn't there when I needed him. You've never been there when we needed you, Harry" Kristy said.

"What the hell are you on, Kristine? I was there for you the whole time growing up" Harry said.

"Only when Daddy told you to be. You are such a Mama's boy, Harry and we all know it" Kristy said.

"Is that why you left me? Because you secretly hated me because of her?" Angel asked, nodding at Diana.

"Harry, is that why?" Stu asked.

"No! I never hated Angel. Not ever. I just couldn't deal with her being blind. And…well…that's why…when she was in the Rehabilitation Hospital, I…well, I was cheating on her" Harry admitted.

"You what?!" Taker growled.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Kristy yelled.

"Calm down, Kristy. What I want to know is why the hell you didn't just tell me outright?!" Angel asked.

"Because I figured you had been hurt enough both physically and emotionally. I knew that it would hurt you to know that I had found someone else, so I didn't say anything" Harry said.

"So you just lied to her?! My best friend was in trouble! The girl you said you loved was in trouble and you went and cheated on her with some ring rat just to get your rocks off! My God, Harry, you and your downstairs brain sure do mess a person up!" Kristy said.

"Kristy, it's fine. Really. While I do appreciate that your brother didn't want to hurt me more than I was at the time, I look at it this way, your brother's loss is Roman's gain. He can keep whatever ring rat he has now" Angel said.

"Still, he had the nerve" Kristy said.

"Yeah, well, stupid people do stupid things" Angel said.

"You're really alright with this?" Kristy said.

"Yep. I know your Mom was expecting me to throw a fit, but your brother isn't worth it. We broke up and I've moved onto a better man" Angel said, looking at Diana with a smirk.

"Not happy with the outcome are you, Mother?" Kristy asked with a smirk of her own.

"Who would have thought that the little timid and scared girl would find her backbone? I would have expected her to be sitting around feeling sorry for herself because my son up and walked away from her" Diana said.

"Diana, if I sat around feeling sorry for myself every single time something bad happened to me in life I would be in one of two places, a mental hospital or six feet in the ground. I realized a very long time ago that sitting around feeling sorry for myself won't get me anywhere in life" Angel said.

"Taker, you've got one smart girl there. Of course, we knew this already, but still…" Stu said.

"Thank you, Stu. She's just like her mother" Taker said.

"I have to ask, Roman, how does it feel to know that your girlfriend has never seen what you look like and how does it feel to know that if—god forbid—you two ever have children someday, she won't be able to see them either?" Diana said.

Roman smirked and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. It looked to Kristy like it had been folded and unfolded about a million times. When he opened it, Kristy realized that it was the drawing of Roman that Angel had done when she had first met him. Kristy smirked and tried not to laugh.

"It's a drawing of you. Big deal" Diana said.

"Of course you wouldn't get it. This is a drawing of me. A drawing of me that Angel did when we first met. A drawing she did without being able to see me. She drew this based on Kristy's description of me. Pretty accurate, don't you think?" Roman said.

"I remember that picture. That was the day Ang and I first met you and Dean" Kristy said.

"Have you…had that in your pocket the whole time, Ro?" Angel asked.

"I have to do something when people like her come along and tell me Angel doesn't know what I look like. Believe it or not, it happens an awful lot" Roman said.

"And as for not being able to see my children, that's something that I will come to when I get there. Besides that, it's none of your damn business, Diana" Angel snapped.

"Honestly, Mother, you are heartless. I don't know how Grandma and Grandpa put up with you" Kristy said.

"She's still our daughter, Kristy. That's about the only reason we choose to see her" Stu said.

"I understand, Grandpa" Kristy said.

"She's still heartless" Angel said, walking out to the back porch.

"Oh, great. Now look at what you've done, Diana, you went and got Angel all upset. The poor girl has it hard enough without dealing with people like you" Helen said.

"Don't waste your breath, Grandma. She doesn't care about anyone in this family" Kristy said.

"You mean she's always like this? Geez. With someone like this in your life, who needs enemies?" Dean asked.

"Rule number one, Dean. Never turn your back on my Mother or some of my Aunts and Uncles. They'll try and get you so quick you won't even know it" Kristy said.

"But what is it about Angel specifically? I mean, she never did anything bad to the family…did she?" Dean asked.

"Other than becoming my best friend, no. She hasn't done anything wrong. I may have helped Angel through a lot of stuff, but she helped me more than she thinks" Kristy said.

"And that's the second rule. If you help Kristy, Diana hates you" Taker said.

"Wow. Some mother you are" Dean said.

"You're not serious, Deadman?" Roman said.

"Sadly, I am. Diana hates Bret, Owen, Kane, Angel, and I. Hell, even though they're still together, she doesn't like Davey because Davey has helped Kristy more than anyone. Well, except for Owen" Taker said.

"And it's why I dread family dinners. And that's why Angel doesn't come to them very often even though she's been invited to a ton of them. Because it's usually hard for her to deal with my Mother" Kristy said.

"Only because Diana likes to run her mouth and say that Angel had no family growing up. That's the one thing that cuts Angel to the core no matter who says it" Stu said.

"Now you see why I hate my mother" Kristy said.

Roman nodded, completely understanding now why Kristy never spoke very highly of her mother. He went outside and sat with Angel on the back porch. He put his arms around her. Angel just sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. He could tell that she was thinking about what Diana had said to her.

"When Kristy and I were younger we used to sit out here with ice cream. Stu had a bear. He lived under the porch and he was known as Ted the Wrestling Bear. We'd finish eating the ice cream and stick our hands down in front of the porch and he'd lick them clean" Angel said.

"That's cute. And somewhat horrifying" Roman said.

"He never bit us. He was gentle, considering he was a bear and all" Angel said.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Roman said.

"I'll live. It's nothing that I haven't heard before. Besides, Diana hates my guts, so I'm not surprised. It does hurt though…when someone mentions that I will never see my children" Angel said.

"We don't have to have kids, you know" Roman said.

"I want to be a Mom though. I know it's gonna be tough when it happens, but I'll have a ton of help" Angel said.

Roman agreed. He knew that for sure. When Angel did become a mother someday, she would have a lot of help and would not be alone. Angel shook her head.

"What's up?" Roman asked.

"Diana is just trying to get in my head I'm not gonna let her" Angel said quietly.

Roman agreed with that too. From what he could see, Diana was vindictive and looking to make trouble. Angel stood up. Roman followed suit and they walked back into the house. Just as they went inside, they heard the front door slam. When they walked into the kitchen, Diana and Harry were gone and Kristy was holding her cheek and hugging Dean. Roman could see that she was crying.

"Diana slapped her" Dean explained.

"What?!" Angel asked.

"Kristy yelled at her for what she said to Angel. Diana hit her" Dean said.

"You're kidding?!" Roman said.

"I wish" Dean said.

Roman just shook his head. After that, everyone sat down at the table. The rest of the night was fun and laughs. Everyone was talking and having a blast. It ended up being a good night, despite of how it started.

* * *

 **Alright, thanks for reading guys. I need to get better about updating. I really do. And I'm trying. Really. Please leave your reviews and I will update again soon. Bye for now!~Taker's Soul Girl**


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